Worcester city councilors unexpectedly adjourned their meeting Tuesday night after it was disrupted by pro-Palestinian protestors calling on the city to support a ceasefire in Gaza.
Activists opposed to the war have wanted the council to rule on a citizen petition supporting an end to the conflict and the release of hostages held by Hamas militants. Although the petition has garnered more than 1,500 signatures, Worcester’s city clerk recently declined to put the issue on the council’s agenda, arguing it violates council rules because it’s not within the city’s jurisdiction.
During the public comment period of Tuesday’s meeting, supporters of the ceasefire resolution tried to speak about it, but Mayor Joseph Petty stopped them, arguing the issue wasn’t on the agenda.
Councilors then considered suspending normal rules to allow the activists to speak, but the vote failed. That’s when dozens of protestors started yelling, “Let them speak” and “Free, free Palestine.” As the disruption continued, Councilor Thu Nguyen criticized other councilors for trying to silence the supporters of the petition.
“We cannot continue business as usual during a genocide of Palestinian folks and people in Gaza,” the councilor told their colleagues. “I do not believe this ruling was correct.”
Finally, 40 minutes into the meeting and after a recess, councilors voted to adjourn, saying they wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything as long as the protest continued.
After the meeting, Claire Shaffer-Duffy — one of the activists who filed the petition — said the disruption could have been avoided had councilors let people speak on the issue.
“There would have been no political cost to the council if they had just taken the motion to suspend the rules and let the council hear the rationale for this resolution,” Shaffer-Duffy said.
Councilor George Russell, who voted against letting the petitioners speak, suggested that as a locally elected official, he doesn’t have any say on a foreign war. The council has faced past criticism for debating international issues, like nuclear disarmament, that aren’t within its purview.
But Shaffer-Duffy and other supporters of the ceasefire petition noted that councilors previously approved a resolution condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel. If they could do that, Shaffer-Duffy said they should also consider the resolution supporting a ceasefire.
“The city administration violated its own precedent,” said Allie Cislo, another organizer of the petition and coordinator of the Worcester Havurah Jewish group. “We submitted our petition on time and followed the appropriate procedures. We should have been heard.”
Other Massachusetts communities have dealt with residents’ calls for an end to the Israel-Hamas war in different ways. Several cities and towns, including Boston, Cambridge and Medford, have approved resolutions supporting a ceasefire. Other municipalities, like Brookline and Arlington, have voted to table the issue or take no action, arguing the ceasefire resolutions are divisive and not within the purview of local government.
Before Worcester’s council adjourned Tuesday, Mayor Petty said “nobody likes what’s going on in the Middle East and the loss of life.” He and City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli said supporters of the ceasefire can request to suspend the rules at the council’s next meeting to speak about their petition.
