Pro-Palestinian Protesters Persist Despite Spokane City Council Walk Out
News Story by Cassy Benefield | FāVS News
Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to voice their opposition to the Oct. 9 City Council resolution supporting Israel after city council members and staff left the chambers at Monday night’s meeting.
MAC Movement’s Facebook page posted a 17-minute recording of these protests still directed at the council members although they were not present. MAC is a Spokane organization that feeds starving artists and nourishes creative growth — mind, body, soul, according to their Facebook page.
“The people continue open forum after City Council walk out! The power of the people is stronger than the people in power. #MACsGotYourBack,” wrote MAC on their page along with the recording.
The first individual on the video read statements by young Palestine girls.
“City Council, please don’t be part of the problem. Please stop encouraging the genocide of these young girls with your pro-Israel resolution,” they said.
“Please join me in calling for the end to the horrific bombing in Gaza by Israel,” the unidentified individual continued. “Please pressure our lawmakers for a ceasefire.”
Monday night’s Spokane City Council meeting ended during the open forum after a pro-Palestinian speaker, Justice Forral, would not sit down.
Council President Lori Kinnear repeatedly responded to fellow council members’ points of order when they asked her to reinforce the rule that speakers were not to address and say the names of council members during open comment and to only address her.
“We have seen past council meetings where my fellow council members have been badgered and insulted,” Kinnear said in a Nov. 7 press release. “To mitigate these verbal attacks, we routinely enforce the rule to address the council president and not mention council members directly in public testimony.”
Every time Kinnear addressed Forral on this matter, they repeatedly identified Council Members Jonathan Bingle and Michael Cathcart by name.
Kinnear tried to interrupt Forral many times, finally asking them to sit down.
They refused.
“We have a right to criticize public officials,” Forral said in the city council’s video before they left. “We have a right to free speech and accountability. How can we hold our public officials accountable if we cannot name them.”
They kept saying these names because Bingle wrote the resolution to show support of Israel after their Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and Cathcart seconded it. However, all the council members passed it.
The resolution has been called pro-Israel by Muslim and other leaders in the community for being one-sided and not factoring in Palestinian voices.
At the start of open forum, Kinnear said in a Nov. 7 City Council press release that she reminded public participants of the mutual duty of respect. During this time she also highlighted applicable sections of the council’s rules regarding decorum and to direct all remarks to the council president.
“This evening, after several attempts to manage points of order and maintain decorum in chambers, I was met with defiance and decided to recess the meeting,” Kinnear said.
Council Member Zack Zappone stood up first to exit the council chambers about 30 minutes into the meeting, when Forral kept speaking, followed by Kinnear and then the rest of the council.
This happened after Kinnear ended the meeting amid applause and cheers for Forral by other protesters.
As council members and staff left the chambers, Spokane City Police came to the front and the protesters continued.
Sound cut off on the legislative meeting’s video recording after the council members exited.
However, on the MAC recording on Facebook, more individuals voiced their opposition. The recording ended with chants: “City Council listen to us, stop funding genocide,” “Free, free Palestine” and “No justice, no peace.”
After consulting with the chief of police and the city attorney on the correct protocols, Kinnear officially adjourned the meeting about 30 minutes after the council members walked out.
She did this via an offsite camera viewed on the council chambers’ main screen.
“We have disruption in council chambers, so we will adjourn and we will finish our agenda for another day,” Kinnear said.
