California State Senator Scott Wiener, a progressive Jewish Democrat and a sharp critic of Israel's policy in Gaza, was booed and shouted down by activists at the San Francisco Pride parade after refusing to say 'Free Palestine,' according to reports.
California State Senator Scott Wiener (D-Calif.), a progressive Jewish Democrat and a vocal critic of Israel's Gaza policy, was jeered and shouted down by activists at the San Francisco Pride parade on Saturday after he refused to chant 'Free Palestine,' according to reports circulating on social media and Israeli channels.
Video footage of the incident, which was shared by Israeli outlets, shows the senator being confronted by a group of activists who demanded he declare support for a Palestinian state. Wiener declined, and the activists then began booing and cursing at him, forcing him to leave the parade route. The incident underscores the growing pressure on Jewish elected officials in the US from pro-Palestinian activist circles, even those who have criticized Israeli policy. Wiener has previously called for a ceasefire in Gaza and opposed certain Israeli government actions, but has refused to endorse the 'Free Palestine' slogan, which he and many Jews see as a call for Israel's elimination.
This is not the first such confrontation involving Jewish public figures at US events. As The Zioneer reported on June 11, comedian Jerry Seinfeld similarly declined a request to chant 'Free Palestine' outside a Knicks game, replying 'It doesn't exist.' The Wiener incident comes amid a broader debate among liberal Jewish Democrats about how to engage with the pro-Palestinian movement, which has become increasingly prominent in progressive circles.
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