New Orleans Cancels Women’s March Over Anti-Semitism Controversy
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — At least two more Women’s Marches have been canceled, including in New Orleans, where its chapter cited “several issues.”
“Many of the sister marches have asked the leaders of Women’s March, Inc. to resign but as of today, they have yet to do so,” the New Orleans chapter said in its announcement Saturday.
Top leaders of the main organization have been accused of engaging in or condoning anti-Semitism, of not cutting ties with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, and of failing to heed the concerns of its thousands of Jewish backers.
“The controversy is dampening efforts of sister marches to fundraise, enlist involvement, find sponsors and attendee numbers have drastically declined this year. New Orleans is no exception,” the chapter said.
New Orleans has held a Women’s March for the past two years. Marches are scheduled for across the country on Jan. 19.
On Friday, the march in Eureka, in Northern California’s Humboldt County, was canceled over concerns that participants would be “overwhelmingly white, lacking representation from several perspectives in our community,” the group said in a statement. Humboldt County is about 74 percent non-Hispanic white, The Washington Post reported, citing Census Bureau data.
Organizers in Chicago had previously canceled the city’s march, citing the high cost and overextended volunteers.
Actress Rosanna Arquette, who spoke at the 2017 Women’s March in Los Angeles, tweeted her concern about the allegations of anti-Semitism against national leaders. In response, a Women’s March tweet assured supporters that it would take place in Washington, D.C., even during a government shutdown.
As long as anti semitism and division is not a part of your agenda. ✌?
— Rosanna Arquette (@RoArquette) December 29, 2018
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