On Dec. 23, I, joining many others, attended the Pliny Park (Brattleboro) protest of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
I think it is irrefutable that the Hamas attack on innocent Israeli citizens on Oct. 7 was horrific and an abomination. In my opinion, however, the actions of Israel's Netanyahu-led right-wing government have been an abomination for years now, encouraging more and more Israeli settlement of Palestinian lands.
Also, I believe the unquestioning support of the U.S. for Israel, and the extensive military support that has gone along with it, are now an abomination, even if not originally so.
For the most part, I found the Pliny Park protest well-run. When an obvious Israel supporter marched up and down High Street waving an Israeli flag, no one tried to stop her. When a self-avowed Zionist yelled at the top of his lungs, trying to interrupt the protest speeches, no one tried to stop him. Several of the anti-Gaza-bombing, pro-Palestinian-land-rights speakers were themselves Jewish and were more effective because they made that clear.
At one point, there was an announcement that a civil disobedience action was soon going to take place, which was news to at least some of us in attendance. The protesters (myself included) then moved across Main Street, and those participating in the civil disobedience proceeded to occupy the middle of the street between High and Elliot.
I believe this blocking of Main Street was a mistake. I can understand the reasons behind it, including to gain more notoriety for the protest so that more people will give serious thought to and question what is happening in Gaza.
The choice to carry this tactic out, however, interfered with commerce in the heart of town. As we all well know, downtown Brattleboro has been having some challenges. This of all days was not a good day to interfere with the last-minute shopping that was taking place.
Some motorists were quite upset about being delayed from driving through (though some pains were taken by the organizers to very slowly allow a few vehicles to pass). Merchants on Main Street, however, had an even bigger reason to be angry.
While I know some of those doing the civil disobedience were not from Brattleboro itself, I have to assume they meant the downtown no harm, but I do think they caused it harm. In so doing, as well, I believe it detracted from the anti-Gaza-bombing/pro-Palestinian-land-rights message that was the focus of the protest.
In being one of the protest's attendees, I was complicit in this mistake. At least for myself, I apologize to downtown Brattleboro business owners. Also, next time there is a similar protest, I might decide to stay away, knowing such surprise tactics might pop up again.
The more important message, though, is for the U.S. to stop its support of the Netanyahu government and its insane level of bombing and retribution, and work toward a solution that is fair to the Palestinian people while also protecting the Israeli people in the long term.
Michael Bosworth
Brattleboro
This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons.