Protests, Rhode Island — Dozens of Protests in Recent Weeks
GoLocalProv News Team
Protests, Rhode Island — Dozens of Protests in Recent Weeks
There have been a sweeping array of protests — some, but not all, have focused on the Hamas-Israeli war. Some have been focused on labor actions, and others have been focused on environmental issues.
Protests are nothing new in Rhode Island, from Dorr's Rebellion to anti-vaxers at Governor Dan McKee's house, but the pace of protest has never been more vigorous.
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Die-In
Two weeks ago protestors held an action at U.S. Senator Jack Reed’s Office in Cranston.
The press release announced “Pro-Palestinian protesters from the FANG Collective and Resist and Abolish the Military Industrial Complex (RAM INC) disrupted the Go Global Conference at the Omni Hotel this morning, demanding that Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse call for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine, and an end to all US funding and support for so-called Israel.
Holding banners reading 'JACK REED STOP FUNDING GENOCIDE' and 'CEASEFIRE NOW,' the group read a prepared speech to the speakers and attendees. The senators did not respond to the group's questions. Their security team attempted to block the view of the protesters and speak over them, and grew increasingly aggressive, resorting to pushing the protest group out the door. Senator Reed was seen gripping his seat uncomfortably.”
They added, “Senator Reed's top two funders are Lockheed Martin and L3Harris, military contractors who have come under immense scrutiny and public criticism for providing weapons to the Israeli military. Over 10,000 Palestinians, including over 4,000 children have been killed by Israel over the past month. Across the country, constituents have called on their senators and representatives to take action to stop the genocide in Gaza.”
That was one of a handful of events targeting Reed.
Textron’s world headquarters in Providence has been targeted with both protests and antisemitic vandalism. There have been three protests at Textron attracting crowds between 100-200 comprised primarily of Brown University and RISD students.
Textron executives have also been targeted with posters plastered on poles in downtown Providence.
Brown University Public Safety arrested a group of students after a day of protesting against the United States and Israel’s policies.
Providence Police transported and processed the students. Twenty students were arrested, then Brown delayed processing the students' paperwork for over a week, and ultimately dropped the charges
Brown has repeatedly refused to answer if the University will reimburse the city for the Providence Police's staff time.
A day earlier GoLocal video captured one of the speakers condemning the actions of the United States and Israel. The theme of the afternoon protest was that the two countries were guilty of genocide and that Brown University was complicit.
“Brown University must use its power and privilege to publicly condemn the genocide and demand that Senators Reed and Whitehouse support legislation calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel,” organizers of the protest said.
Further they demanded, “Until Brown heeds the multiple democratic demands to divest the endowment from Israel and the military-industrial complex, the university remains complicit in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Maria Zuber—a board director at Textron, a weapons manufacturer—must also resign from her position as a Brown University board member."
There have been more protests at Providence Place Mall and more.
On Friday, a group of protestors gathered on the State House lawn to condemn the continuation of Israel’s bombing, siege, and occupation of Gaza and demand a permanent ceasefire. Despite 80% of Democratic voters across the country supporting the worldwide call for full and lasting ceasefire, no member of the Rhode Island Federal Delegation has yet voiced support.
Demonstrators promised to “Get Loud for Gaza,” with songs, pots and pans, instruments, and homemade noise makers to demonstrate their solidarity with people in Gaza and across Palestine.
A small protest was held outside of the Starbucks at 1 Financial Plaza in Providence on November 16, in opposition to what employees say is corporate management’s “refusal to bargain."
The event was billed as a coast-to-coast national walkout as a "Red Cup Rebellion" on "Red Cup Day."
In downtown Providence, however, employees at the location continued to work while roughly a dozen additional people arrived in support of the action outside the store.
Protesters were holding signs that said, "No contract, coffee." But, the store did not close.
Environmental Actions
And, in recent weeks, there have been a series of environmental actions. Last Saturday, the group Climate Action Rhode Island-350 protested at the Chase Bank in Barrington to "counter decades of largely unanswered propaganda and disinformation by the fossil fuel industrial complex of fossil fuel, companies and our largest banks and insurance companies, Climate Action Rhode Island volunteers will be picketing and flyering in front of the #1 financier of fossil fuel projects in the world: Chase Bank."
And, in Burrillville two weeks ago, a protest was organized by Burrillville BASE, a community group led by people "directly impacted by the Enbridge compressor station." BASE formed in 2014 in partnership with The FANG Collective
"Enbridge, a massive Canadian fossil fuel corporation, is planning to expand the 'Algonquin' Pipeline that runs from New Jersey to Massachusetts. Details of the proposal are still coming out, but it will likely include an expansion of the fracked-gas compressor station in Burrillville, RI. The compressor station burns fracked-gas in order to create pressure along the pipeline route, discharging dangerous toxins as part of the process," said the groups.
Free speech and demonstrations have been occurring multiple times a week across Rhode Island.