We've got ancestors at our backs.
We've got generations forward.
We've got land and spirit in our bones.
Never Again.
Para Nadie.
 |
Photo from Boston Globe
Image Description: Maya and I holding up a sign that says "Never Again means Close the Camps" in
a crowd of people at the vigil. |
This was the song we sang yesterday, marching through the streets of Boston to an ICE Detention Center
barely 15 miles from where I was born.
barely 15 miles from where I was born.
This was the song we sang while demonstrating against ICE's inhumane treatment of immigrants and migrants
in concentration camps across the country.
in concentration camps across the country.
This was the song we sang as we rallied, waving our support and determination to the hundreds of detainees
inside the facility, holding signs begging us for help.
inside the facility, holding signs begging us for help.
This was the song we sang as we were handcuffed, arrested, and transported to jail.
I'm proud to be #1of18 Jewish protesters who were arrested in the Never Again Action march, I'm proud to
have stood tall with my community as we were roughly thrown into cells. I may be proud, but I'm far from
done. Families have been ripped apart, people are denied access to food, water, medical care, and sanitary needs,
and physically and psychologically tortured.
have stood tall with my community as we were roughly thrown into cells. I may be proud, but I'm far from
done. Families have been ripped apart, people are denied access to food, water, medical care, and sanitary needs,
and physically and psychologically tortured.
These policies echo the worst of Jewish history and the worst of American history. I grew up hearing the
refrain "never again". To me, that means never again for anyone anywhere. No one, no person or group,
should experience the trauma of family separation, the violence of detention, the pain and deadliness of
degradation and dehumanization, or genocide.
refrain "never again". To me, that means never again for anyone anywhere. No one, no person or group,
should experience the trauma of family separation, the violence of detention, the pain and deadliness of
degradation and dehumanization, or genocide.
Elected officials have expressed more outrage about the language used to describe the treatment of
immigrants than the treatment itself. They claim to speak for Jews, but they don’t. Rather, they weaponize
our collective trauma to distract from the atrocities in the concentration camps. Additionally, many of the
same politicians who protested the use of the term “concentration camp” to describe ICE and CBP prisons
just voted to give more funding to ICE and CBP.
immigrants than the treatment itself. They claim to speak for Jews, but they don’t. Rather, they weaponize
our collective trauma to distract from the atrocities in the concentration camps. Additionally, many of the
same politicians who protested the use of the term “concentration camp” to describe ICE and CBP prisons
just voted to give more funding to ICE and CBP.
This is happening in our own backyard. Now is the time to stand up, and now is the time to show up for
our fellow humans.
our fellow humans.
For more information or to find an action in your area, follow this link:
https://www.neveragainaction.com
https://www.neveragainaction.com
If you're able to make a donation to legal fees and bail, please donate here:
https://www.gofundme.com/support-jews-saying-never-again
https://www.gofundme.com/support-jews-saying-never-again
Here is a link to Movimiento Cosecha's website: https://www.lahuelga.com/
If you would like a more detailed account of my arrest, continue reading.
The "red team" at the march- the folks who decided to take risk and probably get arrested, joined with the
group towards the end of the march, and led them to the steps of the facility. Police were already there, as
was press (there were even helicopters following us!)We stood on the steps, then on my count, we all sat.
We listened as organizers spoke about the issues above, and sang loudly. When we sang our song again,
the red team stood up, and began to walk into the line of police.
group towards the end of the march, and led them to the steps of the facility. Police were already there, as
was press (there were even helicopters following us!)We stood on the steps, then on my count, we all sat.
We listened as organizers spoke about the issues above, and sang loudly. When we sang our song again,
the red team stood up, and began to walk into the line of police.
As soon as we stepped onto the top step, officers turned us around and started handcuffing us with zip ties
so tight they cut off someone's circulation. We sang loudly as we were loaded into a van, then sang protest
songs and Hebrew prayers all the way to the South Bay Police Station, where all 15 people who were deemed to be
"women" (because police still operate under the gender binary) were put into a holding cell together, still
handcuffed.
so tight they cut off someone's circulation. We sang loudly as we were loaded into a van, then sang protest
songs and Hebrew prayers all the way to the South Bay Police Station, where all 15 people who were deemed to be
"women" (because police still operate under the gender binary) were put into a holding cell together, still
handcuffed.
I don't know how popular this story is, but I grew up hearing a story that heaven and hell were the same,
in both, people sat at a long table with delicious food in front of them. Also in both, the people couldn't
bend their elbows. The only difference between heaven and hell is that in heaven, you feed the person opposite you.
That was what it was like in the holding cell. We took turns feeding each other the food in our pockets
(before they took it away with our belongings) and I even scratched someone's face for them!
in both, people sat at a long table with delicious food in front of them. Also in both, the people couldn't
bend their elbows. The only difference between heaven and hell is that in heaven, you feed the person opposite you.
That was what it was like in the holding cell. We took turns feeding each other the food in our pockets
(before they took it away with our belongings) and I even scratched someone's face for them!
We tried to get the police to come over to change the zip ties on the hand of the person who was losing
circulation, but they took a long time to listen. They also refused to look at one activist's medical conditions
paper, which explained her needs. Eventually, they booked the person, and then the rest of us. We got into
the holding cell at 8:10pm, and it wasn't until 1:30am that everyone had been processed. During that time,
we were moved (one by one) from the holding cell to smaller cells shared by three people, each with a toilet,
sink, and bench. I was lucky to have incredible cellmates who supported me and who I was able to support.
We sang and talked and told stories.
circulation, but they took a long time to listen. They also refused to look at one activist's medical conditions
paper, which explained her needs. Eventually, they booked the person, and then the rest of us. We got into
the holding cell at 8:10pm, and it wasn't until 1:30am that everyone had been processed. During that time,
we were moved (one by one) from the holding cell to smaller cells shared by three people, each with a toilet,
sink, and bench. I was lucky to have incredible cellmates who supported me and who I was able to support.
We sang and talked and told stories.
The entire time we were in the cell, we didn't know what time it was or how many people had been booked.
We also couldn't flush the toilet, so it stank of urine. We could see the people in the cell across from us, also
protesters, and hear people in other cells.
We also couldn't flush the toilet, so it stank of urine. We could see the people in the cell across from us, also
protesters, and hear people in other cells.
When one of my cellmates asked for her call, she never received it. There was a payphone in the cell which
made only collect calls. I got to speak briefly to Maya, and also to the Jail Support team, but the calls kept
dropping out.
made only collect calls. I got to speak briefly to Maya, and also to the Jail Support team, but the calls kept
dropping out.
Around 1:30am, the last protester was booked. We then sat in the cells for half an hour waiting for the
bondman to collect our bail commissioner fees and releases started around 2am. The last people were released around 3:30am. As
we were released, the incredible people who volunteered for jail support greeted us with food, water, and wet
wipes, and cheered as we got outside! Outside, we read the article from the Globe, which has a photo of Maya
and I!
bondman to collect our bail commissioner fees and releases started around 2am. The last people were released around 3:30am. As
we were released, the incredible people who volunteered for jail support greeted us with food, water, and wet
wipes, and cheered as we got outside! Outside, we read the article from the Globe, which has a photo of Maya
and I!
Our court hearing was set for 8:30am today, so after 4 hours of sleep we went to the courthouse in Roxbury. Our
lawyer talked us through the process. We were charged with trespassing, a criminal charge with a maximum
penalty of $100 or six months in jail. There was a lot of hullabaloo about reports, because not everyone's police
papers had come yet. We listened to another case read, and a woman who we didn't know and wasn't part of the
system reminded us "never forget your first amendment rights".
lawyer talked us through the process. We were charged with trespassing, a criminal charge with a maximum
penalty of $100 or six months in jail. There was a lot of hullabaloo about reports, because not everyone's police
papers had come yet. We listened to another case read, and a woman who we didn't know and wasn't part of the
system reminded us "never forget your first amendment rights".
Ultimately, our lawyers convinced the DA to null process/not process the charges. This means that we had no
criminal record and no fine- it was like it never happened. When that was announced, people cried- including the
prosecutor. It was clear that everyone in the room (prosecutor, judge, etc) were supporting us. The lawyer reminded
the room, on the record, that we were proud of our actions.
criminal record and no fine- it was like it never happened. When that was announced, people cried- including the
prosecutor. It was clear that everyone in the room (prosecutor, judge, etc) were supporting us. The lawyer reminded
the room, on the record, that we were proud of our actions.
I'm a white woman, so I had a "get out of jail free" card. I'm free, but thousands are not.
Please, please, please join the fight against ICE.
Here are the links again in case you missed it:
For more information or to find an action in your area, follow this link: https://www.neveragainaction.com
If you're able to make a donation to legal fees and bail, please donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/support-jews-saying-never-again
Here is a link to Movimiento Cosecha's website: https://www.lahuelga.com/
