Ayman Hasan

Overview

Ayman Hasan [Ayman M. Hasan] has called for intifada violence, burned an Israeli flag and spread hatred of Israel at Within Our Lifetime (WOL) rallies in New York City.

WOL’s “Points of Unity” states [point 3]: “We defend the right of Palestinians as colonized people to resist the zionist occupation by any means necessary.” 

WOL was formerly known as the New York City branch of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), using the name NYC SJP until February 2018. 

As of January 2023, Hasan’s Facebook page said he lived in the town of West New York, New Jersey.

May 14 2021 - Calling for Intifada Violence

Hasan participated in multiple chants calling for “intifada” violence at a WOL rally in Manhattan. He also burned an Israeli flag and trampled on another Israeli flag.

On May 14, 2021, Hasan marched [00:03:50] with other WOL activists, with an Israeli flag tied around his ankle. 

As he walked on the flag and dragged it along the pavement, Hasan chanted [00:03:55]: “There is only one solution! Intifada revolution!” He also chanted [00:04:11]: “Intifada! Intifada! Long Live the Intifada!” and [00:04:27] “From New York to Gaza! Globalize the Intifada!” 

Since the early 2000s, the term “intifada,” which translates from Arabic as “uprising” or “insurrection,” has carried the connotation of violence.  

The second intifada (2000-2005) was characterized by more than 120 suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians on buses and in cafes.

The WOL rally occurred during Israel’s Operation Guardian of the Walls (OGW) in Gaza.

In May 2021, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists fired over 4,300 rockets from Gaza at major population centers in Israel. Israel responded by launching OGW, carrying out targeted military strikes in Gaza.

At the rally, Hasan joined [00:00:01] with other WOL activists in burning [00:09:46] an Israeli flag. 

Hasan lit [00:00:06] the flag with a cigarette lighter before a large crowd, burning the Jewish Star of David at the flag’s center. As he lit the flag, WOL activists chanted [00:00:01]: “It is right to rebel! Israel go to hell!” and [00:09:12] “Resistance is justified! When people are occupied!”

Among Palestinians and anti-Israel activists, the term “resistance” can be a euphemism for nationalistic terror. It is often used to excuse or even glorify anti-Israel and anti-Semitic violence.  

At the beginning of the rally, Kiswani led [00:00:51] the chant: “Israel Out Of The Middle East!” while an Israeli flag was spread on the ground in front of the protesters. She ordered [00:01:10] protesters: “March! March! March! March! Step on that s**t! That’s the flag of genocide, the flag of colonialism and the flag of destruction…”

During the same rally, Kiswani led protesters in chanting [00:08:32]: “Say it loud, say it clear! We don’t want no Zionists here!” 

Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their own national home, and the right to develop their national culture.

Hasan later marched [00:12:47] with protesters as they chanted: “Israel you can’t hide! You’re committing genocide!” 

Hasan joined [00:33:35] with Kiswani and other WOL activists who marched through 53rd Street to the Midtown North Police Precinct to demand the release of violent activist Saadah Masoud. That day, Masoud was arrested for standing on the sunroof of a car and blocking traffic, then resisting [00:01:32] a call by police to move his car. 

Kiswani led [00:32:41] WOL activists sitting in the middle of the street chanting: “No Justice! No Peace! Israel out of the Middle East!”

Kiswani went on to say [00:34:13]: “So what we’re gonna do now… Is chant his name…FREE SAADAH!”

Kiswani repeated [00:36:22] the chant: “FREE FREE SAADAH!”

The rally was part of the Strike MoMA campaign that was launched in April 2021. The campaign featured ten demonstrations outside the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City that targeted several of MoMA’s Jewish and pro-Israel trustees “for their alleged involvement in violent, imperialist, or predatory business practices.”

May 18, 2021 - WOL Rally

Hasan featured in photos shared on Kiswani’s Instagram page that were taken at a protest organized by WOL on May 18, 2021.

Kiswani posted the photos on May 21, 2021, and she wrote: “These pictures capture exactly how Palestinian resistance makes us feel, like we are lions and like nothing can stop us. Salute to my brothers and sisters holding it down from NYC to falasteen [Palestine]. We will liberate ourselves. #DefendPalestine #Palestine #FreePalestine #WithinOurLifetime.”

The photos featured Hasan, Kiswani and violent activists Masoud and Salem Seleiman, among others. They were standing on top of one of the lion statues outside of the New York Public Library. The activists standing on the statues waved Palestinian flags and set off smoke canisters.

On May 19, 2021, Hasan made his Facebook profile photo one of the photos of him and the other protestors on the lion statue. In the photo, they were all yelling and setting off smoke canisters. He added a frame that read: “FREE PALESTINE.”

On May 25, 2021, Kiswani shared to Instagram another photo of the same protesters sitting on the Lion statue along with a comment, saying: “اذا رايت نيوب الليث بارزةً فلا تظن ان الليث يبتسم ‘If you see the teeth of the lion, do not think that the lion is smiling at you.’ Al-Mutanabbi. #globalizetheintifada #WithinOurLifetime.”

As of January 26, 2023, Hasan’s profile photo was still the same photo he posted on May 19, 2021.