Exposing the Organizers of Philadelphia's Antisemitic and Violent Protests
Since October 8th, Philadelphia has been experiencing a series of protests led by supporters of Hamas. These aggressive demonstrations – more than 20 Philly-based protests in the last two months – have been marked by violent rhetoric, blatant antisemitism and expressions of support for terrorism and have caused significant disturbance in the city.
Michael C. Wilson of the Workers’ World Party saluted Hamas “for a job well done.”
A UPenn student, Tara Tarawneh, said she felt “empowered and happy” by the October 7th massacre.
Shops, banks & restaurants have been vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti.
Philadelphia Eagles fans in local bars were harassed.
A local Jewish restaurant, Goldie, was targeted by an angry mob
Protesters marched through the streets of Philadelphia chanting, “There is only one solution, Intifada Revolution,” a chant that is reminiscent of Nazi Germany’s Final Solution.
Protestors also chanted, “Free Palestine from the River to the Sea” (a call for the genocidal destruction of the State of Israel), and “Resistance is Justified!”
The protesters have vowed to continue harassing the citizens of Philadelphia until their demands are met.
So, who is behind these increasingly violent rallies?
The Philly Palestine Coalition (PPC) has spearheaded the organization of these events, closely collaborating with Jewish Voice for Peace Philadelphia (JVP Philly) and anti-Israel campus groups, including Penn Against the Occupation (PAO) and Temple University Students for Justice in Palestine (Temple SJP).
The Philly Palestine Coalition, self-described as "A Philly-based Alliance of Palestinian, Black & Indigenous community members & orgs working to support & uplift Palestinian leadership & liberation," is, in reality, a group characterized by antisemitism and support for terror, causing disruption in Philadelphia's streets. Contrary to their claim of being peace activists, Canary Mission has documented evidence of the group's organizers engaging in extreme antisemitism, mocking victims of Hamas violence, backing terror groups, and calling for the violent destruction of Israel.
In response to the violent rally on Sunday, December 3rd, 2023, the group released a statement showing no remorse for their actions, which included mobbing a Jewish restaurant and vandalizing and harassing Philadelphia businesses and citizens. They declared, "The Philadelphia Palestine Coalition has been protesting, and will continue to protest." Furthermore, they defended their harassment of the Jewish restaurant and attempted to shift the blame onto "western media" for focusing on their antisemitic targeting during the protest.
Canary Mission has previously highlighted the severe antisemitism of Nada Abuasi, one of PPC's key organizers. Now it is time to meet the other antisemitic organizers.
Nada Abuasi - "The Isr*eli state must cease to exist."
Nada Abuasi
Abuasi, a leading organizer with the Philly Palestine Coalition, has been involved in many of the rallies in the last two months taking over the streets of Philadelphia Abuasi has stated: “the streets are ours and we can take it anytime we want. And we will…We will continue to plan…liberation until liberation comes.”
October 28th, 2023: Abuasi spoke at the rally, calling for a ceasefire. She clarified that to her, a ceasefire means the end of the state of Israel: “A ceasefire is only the bare minimum. A ceasefire is not liberation. Liberation means ending the siege on Gaza, ending the occupation and decolonizing Palestine from the river to the sea."
Abuasi’s social media posts over the last few years echo this message of violence.
On January 23, 2022, Abuasi tweeted: “...Our armed struggle and resistance is anti-imperialist and part of an internationalist struggle. Palestinians should not have to paint their cause and struggle in a light that is favorable to western imperialists.”
On December 29, 2021, Abuasi tweeted: “... Palestine will not be liberated through chocolates and flowers. Our liberation necessities armed struggle [sic].”
On February 2, 2022, Abuasi tweeted: “...Palestine will not be liberated until the entirety of the Zionist entity is dismantled.”
On January 19, 2022, Abuasi tweeted: “Yes. The Isr*eli state must cease to exist. Let’s not beat around the bush.
On June 22, 2021, Abuasi tweeted: “Israel is illegitimate. Abolish it.”
On May 31, 2021, Abuasi tweeted: “Make no mistake: It is not free Palestine from East Jerusalem to Area C. It is free Palestine from the river to the sea.”
Jordan Vaughan - "Glad Hamas killed this b*tch"
Jordan Vaughan
Vaughan is a “facilitating organizer of the Philly Palestine Coalition.” He has led several of their rallies, notably those on October 8 and 28, 2023.
October 8, 2023: Vaughan led [00:06:28] chants calling for violence.
October 28, 2023: Vaughan helped lead [00:00:47] and spoke [00:00:28] at a pro-Hamas rally. Vaughan held [00:50:59] a lighter, poised to set an Israeli flag on fire, but was stopped by another rally leader.
Vaughan has posted extreme antisemitism on his social media accounts, including posts mocking victims of the Hamas massacre, supporting the terror group and wishing death for all Israelis.
On October 18, 2023, Vaughan posted on Twitter a photo of Shani Louk, one of the civilians kidnapped, severely brutalized and eventually murdered by Hamas, and wrote: “Glad Hamas killed this b*tch cause what’s that?”
On October 28, 2023, Vaughan tweeted: “Good, I hope you all die” in response to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tweet alerting civilians to impending rocket attacks in Tel Aviv.
On November 20, 2023, Vaughan tweeted: “Can’t wait for the day Israel goes up in flames and all those skin cancer havin settlers perish and d** [die] and the olive trees grow up through their ashes and the wind blows and speaks to me.”
On November 15, 2023, Vaughan tweeted: “Live, Love, Hamas.”
Nour Qutyan - "Hamas, what they are is they’re the resistance front"
Nour Qutyan
Qutyan is a member and spokesperson for the Philly Palestine Coalition. She has led several rallies both before and after the October 7th Hamas massacre.
October 19, 2023: Qutyan led a disruption of a City Council meeting that condemned the terror group Hamas.
October 8, 2023: Qutyan spoke at the rally and defended the Hamas massacre which occurred a day earlier, saying: “Hamas…they will call an Islamic terrorist group. Hamas, what they are is they’re the resistance front…what they’re doing is defending their land, defending their people and defending their right to live.” She continued her defense of the Hamas terror attack saying: “Indigenous people have a right to resist occupation…and that includes violent resistance…”
Brice Patterson - “I will break that f**king window and beat the f**k out of you!”"
Brice Patterson [Brice Armond Patterson] threatened a motorist with violence and intentionally blocked traffic while participating in an anti-Israel rally.
Patterson has also called to dismantle Israel, glorified a terrorist, expressed support for violent resistance, and spread hatred of Israel, America and the West.
Violent Rhetoric at Philly Palestine Coalition Protests
Krystal Strong
“I don’t know about y’all, but when I woke up yesterday and saw the images, the video of those bulldozers tearing that mother f**king wall down, it felt like May 2020 to me when we saw a police precinct up in flames…” -10/8/2023
“We gotta make sure that progressives who stand for justice…are more afraid of us than they are afraid of AIPAC and their funders.” -10/8/2023
James Ray
“...Palestinians have done the unimaginable and have successfully broken through the decades-long siege of the Gaza strip” -10/8/2023
“...colonized people have the right to resist their occupiers…by any means necessary, including armed struggle.” -10/8/2023
Susan Abulhawa
“Intifada! Intifada! Long live the intifada!” -10/8/2023
“When we say ‘decolonize,’ you say ‘Palestine” -10/8/2023
Romance Albarqawi
“Not terrorist attacks, not what the Western media is trying so desperately to convey. It was Gaza breaking out of prison!” -10/8/2023
“The resistance is justified!” -10/8/2023
“All of us standing here today are proud of what has occurred yesterday!” -10/8/2023
Tara Tarawneh - "I remember feeling so empowered and happy"
Tara Tarawneh
“Do you guys remember the photo of the kids and men laughing and smiling as they sat on top of the Israeli military Jeep captured by our freedom fighters?...How about the photos of the bulldozer breaking through the [Israeli-Gaza] border? Do you remember that picture? And the several other joyful and powerful images which came from the glorious October 7!” -10/8/2023
“The right for colonized people to resist their colonization by any means necessary, including armed resistance is recognized under international law… And Palestinians like all oppressed peoples have the right to resistance their oppressors by any means necessary!” -10/19/2023
Flood Philly For Gaza Protest: 12/3/2023
On Sunday, December 3rd, 2023, the Philly Palestine Coalition, alongside Jewish Voice for Peace Philadelphia (JVP Philly) marched through the streets of Philadelphia calling for Intifada while mobbing a Jewish restaurant and vandalizing and harassing Philadelphia businesses and citizens.
This rally serves as an example of the tactics used to foment hatred against Jews and Israel:
Tactic 1:
Deny antisemitism while targeting Jewish businesses and institutions:
At the Sunday protest, a local Jewish restaurant, Goldie, was targeted with chants accusing it of genocide.
Tactic 2:
Blend anti-Israel protests with unrelated issues:
The rally bizarrely doubled as a vigil for University City Townhomes. It had speakers decry both gentrification and the Gaza conflict.
Tactic 3:
Advocate for peace but endorse violence against Jews:
The protest called for a ceasefire while simultaneously chanting for Intifada, a term that means violent uprising.
Tactic 4:
Engage in violence or vandalism:
Protestors defaced several businesses near UPenn, spray-painting anti-Israel slogans like "F**k the IDF," "Intifada," and "Free Palestine."
