In Missouri, Jewish protesters unfurl banner calling AIPAC ‘antisemites’
The progressives were part of a pro-ceasefire coalition picketing an AIPAC dinner
The biggest Jewish lobbying organization in the United States — antisemitic?
Protesters identifying themselves as “Progressive Jews of St. Louis” seemingly made that accusation Tuesday while picketing an AIPAC dinner in Jefferson City, Missouri, holding up a banner calling AIPAC “white supremacist antisemites.”
HAPPENING NOW- a multi-racial, multi-faith collective of residents across Missouri is protesting an @AIPAC fundraising dinner in Jefferson City to say AIPAC’s money to further genocide in Palestine is not welcome in our state! #AIPACoutofMO pic.twitter.com/PRdbg9Rq6G
— Progressive Jews of St. Louis (@ProJoSTL) February 7, 2024
Another sign held by some protesters said, “Jews reject AIPAC.”
According to a post on X by the group, the protesters — several dozen, judging by videos from the scene — were a “multi-racial, multi-faith collective” of Missouri residents calling for a ceasefire.
The dinner, hosted at a restaurant a few blocks away from the state capitol, was reportedly an AIPAC fundraiser whose attendees included Missouri secretary of state Jay Aschroft and Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater, according to KWOS, a local conservative radio station whose host attended the event. Ashcroft and Fitzwater told KWOS they were accosted by protesters on their way in.
On X, the group posted, “AIPAC is a hawkish, warmongering bully that takes a scorched earth approach toward ensuring unconditional U.S. support for Israel,” adding, “AIPAC prioritizes the Israeli regime at any cost, and that means supporting apartheid and genocide against Palestinians abroad, and funding the campaigns of white nationalists at home.”
In a statement Wednesday responding to the protest, AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann said, “We are Americans who are proud to engage in the democratic process to strengthen the US-Israel relationship – and we won’t be deterred in our efforts by an extremist fringe.”
Progressive Jews of St. Louis, whose Instagram page says it dates back to 2018, did not respond to a request for comment.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO