[act-ma] June 1st Protest of Israel's Latest Murder of Humanitarian Activists in Portland, ME

[Roger Leisner]

Photographs by The Maine
 Paparazzi
37 Mainers gathered at noon on June 1 in Portland's Monument Square for a Maine Peace Action
 sponsored protest of Israel's latest murder of humanitarian activists.

Jacqui Deveneau of Old Orchard Beach had alerted Maine peace and justice activists the day before about the open seas attack by Israel on the Gaza Flotilla bringing humanitarian aid to the besieged people of Gaza.  Israeli commandos boarded the ship late Sunday night, opening fire and killing as many as 19 aid workers, including a US citizen of Turkish origin.

Along with Sally Brotherton, fellow Women in Black vigil member, of China and Bia Winter of
 Vienna, I
 traveled to Portland to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and to support those humanitarians that are trying to bring relief to the people of Gaza.

This expression of solidarity was nothing new to the people of Maine.  In  1988, Maine Democrats endorsed a plank of the party
 platform calling for recognition of the PLO and the establishment of a Palestinian state.  Two years later, AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) held a pro-zionist conference in Portland for the purpose of the eliminating the pro-Palestinian platform plank and establishing zionist hegemony in the Maine Democratic Party.  And ever since then, Maine Democrats have had a tug of war on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, just as the Maine Peace & Justice community has had also.  I noted the absence of Larry Dansinger, Selma Sternlieb, Wendy Hazard and others at the protest.

Speakers included Wells Staley-Mays of Maine Peace Action, Bill Slavick of Pax Christi, Leo Barrington of Amnesty International, Bob Schaible of Lewiston and Lora Somlyo of the Free Gaza Movement.

The media present were Jeffrey Phillips of Portland Cable TV, Fox TV, ABC TV (present at Noam Chomsky Portland appearance)
 and another unknown TV station .  I was pleasantly surprised at the Fox News coverage, somewhat balanced.

Photographs byThe Maine PaparazziRoger LeisnerRadio Free
 MaineP.O. Box 2705Augusta, Maine 04338207-242-0643
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