Antisemitic Rhetoric Appears In Kansas City Plaza Protest For Palestine

Local media downplayed this protest that drew hundreds of people near the embattled Kansas City Country Club Plaza entertainment district.

The protest was COMPLETELY peaceful and lasted most of the afternoon.

HOWEVER . . . We noticed a troubling sign featured in many photos from the event:

Kansas City natives might not know what this means so it's important to unpack the message clearly sent by this sign. 

We define terms with this updated post from the American Jewish Committee:

"From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free” is a common call-to-arms for pro-Palestinian activists. It calls for the establishment of a State of Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, erasing the State of Israel and its people. It is also a rallying cry for terrorist groups and their sympathizers, from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) to Hamas, which called for Israel’s destruction in its original governing charter in 1988 and was responsible for the October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israeli civilians, murdering over 1,000 people in the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust."

The newspaper confirms this detail in a report published after our post . . . Check-it: 

"Protesters on Saturday chanted, “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free,” a phrase that the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League have flagged as potentially antisemitic because it refers to establishing Palestine’s borders from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, including territory currently controlled by Israel.

"Organizers of Saturday’s rally for Palestine said they hoped to raise awareness of years of violence against Palestinians and urge the United States to pull funding for the Israeli government and its military efforts. Israel currently receives $3.8 billion annually in military aid from the U.S. under a 2019 agreement, which accounted for 16% of its total military budget, last year, according to Vox." 

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

"From the River to the Sea" | #TranslateHate

Translate Hate was created by American Jewish Committee (AJC) to explain antisemitism. This glossary aims to improve media literacy on antisemitism and hate, especially in the digital realm. See when "From the River to the Sea" is antisemitic.

'It's been heartbreaking.' Palestinians, supporters rally in KC as strikes continue in Gaza

"I just hope people don't pick and choose whose lives matter more," one protester said. "The media is working against us, so I can't help but feel people are turning a blind eye."