It seems that an anti-terrorism event at Berkeley became heated and violent Sunday. Here is the skinny on it. The Israeli Action Committee of the East Bay arranged to have an anti-terrorism rally during which speakers would denounce terrorism and Bus 19 was displayed. Bus 19 was destroyed in Jerusalem last year in a suicide bombing that killed 11 people and injured 45.
A counter demonstration was arranged presumably to show the other side. This is how the SF Gate described it:
"More than 200 counter-demonstrators gathered Sunday across the street from the park for what was billed in advance as a silent vigil honoring children slain in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most were reserved, but some 40 people, mostly men of Middle Eastern descent, yelled and exchanged taunts with pro-Israeli demonstrators across the street.
"Two, four, six, eight, we are martyrs, we can't wait,'' chanted the group, most of whom wore kaffiyehs -- the cloth headdress closely associated with Palestinian militants. "I'll use specifics here because it is the right thing to do. The estimate above said that were more than 200 people attending the counter-protest. A sizeable portion of that group promoted peace with the chant listed above and here again for your viewing pleasure:
"Two, four, six, eight, we are martyrs, we can't wait,'' chanted the group, most of whom wore kaffiyehs"
When I read things like this I cannot help but wonder what the future holds. Do they really think that this is appropriate? Are they really interested in engaging in indiscriminate murder of whomever is on the bus, in the school yard, grocery store or wherever.
More to the point, I wonder if any members of their side tried to stop the chant. Did any of them try to point out the absurdity of what they were doing or how ridiculous it makes them look, or was their silence agreement with this position. The article doesn't say, so I have nothing to go upon but what I read.
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