We express our deep disagreement and outrage at Mayor Susan McCartney of West Orange, NJ for canceling the Palestinian Flag Raising and Cultural Celebration event scheduled for January 5, 2024, thereby violating the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of our Palestinian community and denying our residents the opportunity to participate in an important cultural celebration.

Following the atrocities of October 7, local elected officials in West Orange, NJ, raised the Israeli flag and issued a public statement to show unequivocal and unconditional support for the state of Israel. This was an understandable response to the horrific events that took place that day. However, during the subsequent three months of Israel’s constant bombardment of Gaza and the killing of more than 20,000 Palestinians - half of whom are children – not a single town official or statement even mentioned the word “Palestinian.”

After weeks of outreach and multiple meetings with elected officials, West Orange for Humanity – a diverse group of justice-centered residents who came together in October 2023 in response to the silencing of Palestinian voices and the indifference to Palestinian suffering in our town – were encouraged to organize a Palestinian flag-raising event and cultural celebration. 

Mayor Susan McCartney and her administration approved the event, issued a permit, reviewed the announcement and publicized it, only to cancel it one week prior. This was due to racist and Islamophobic accusations equating raising a Palestinian flag with support for Hamas and advancing the absurd notion that the phrase included on the event announcement, “Palestinian joy is resistance,” was hateful terminology that could incite violence. 

 Timeline:

12/11/23: After encouragement by Mayor McCartney, Human Relations Commission members, and Town Council People, West Orange residents contacted Mayor McCartney to request Palestinian Flag Raising and Cultural Celebration

12/13/23: Mayor McCartney communicated to event organizers that she was in support of a Palestinian Flag Raising event, that January 5, 2024 would be a viable date and that they should proceed with submitting a formal application

12/18/23: Mayor McCartney’s office shared a Public Event Application with event organizers

12/19/23: Application for Palestinian Flag Raising and Cultural Celebration was submitted to the Mayor’s office by event organizers

12/27/23: Event organizers received confirmation from the Mayor’s office that event was approved for January 5, 2024 at 4:00PM and everything would move ahead

12/28/23 at 3:30 PM: Announcement of the event was posted on the West Orange Township calendar and digital display, and publicized broadly to the West Orange community by email

12/28/23 at ~7:00 PM: Announcement of event removed from West Orange calendar and digital display

12/28/23 at 7:45 PM: Event organizers emailed the Mayor to inquire about what happened

12/29/23: Mayor McCartney called the event organizers and communicated that the event would be “postponed” 

12/29/23: Event organizers received an event permit from the Mayor’s office

12/29/23 at 11:00PM: Mayor McCartney posted on social media that the Palestinian Flag Raising and Cultural Celebration event was canceled: (https://www.instagram.com/p/C1dmbMOvM3q/

This decision not only undermines the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion that our town claims to uphold but also violates our First and Fourteenth amendment rights as well as the essence of our shared humanity. We vehemently condemn such actions that perpetuate discrimination and create an atmosphere of exclusion.

By signing this petition, we demand transparency, accountability, and a thorough review of the decision-making process that led to the cancellation of the Palestinian Flag Raising and Cultural Celebration event. We call upon Mayor McCartney to reconsider this decision and to respect and uphold the rights of every community member to express themselves freely without fear of discrimination.

Our collective voice stands against any form of injustice, and we urge Mayor McCartney to uphold the values of equality and inclusivity that our community deserves. Let us unite in solidarity to ensure that such discriminatory practices have no place in our society.

#EqualityForAll #StandAgainstDiscrimination #Palestiniansarehumanstoo

#PalestinianJoyIsResistance 

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West Orange for Humanity is a group of justice-centered residents who came together in October 2023 in response to the silencing of pro-Palestinian voices and the indifference to Palestinian suffering in our town. We are committed to supporting historically and currently marginalized voices and perspectives in our community around issues with local and global impact while fiercely defending the shared humanity of all West Orange residents as we work toward collective liberation from systems of oppression.