The following is an article first published on August 10th on Lisa’s substack.
Hundreds of cars, many from out of state, crept past [on August 9th] in Brunswick, Maine as 43 of us held our monthly statewide coalition protest on Route 1 covering all four corners of a sprawling intersection. Some banged or just held empty pots; one held a shrouded baby to represent all those killed or starved by the U.S.-Israel’s genocide in Gaza. A musician just departed from a summer program at nearby Bowdoin College had passed on his signboard reading: IF YOU’VE WONDERED WHAT YOU’D DO IN A GENOCIDE, YOU’RE DOING IT NOW. A fierce messenger, he will be missed.
People had come from as far away as New York and in Maine from Bass Harbor. Most were boomers but there were young people, too, including two cute kids that waved Palestinian flags and a cute dog named Raffi who’s an old hand at protesting. We made some new friends and greeted some old friends we hadn’t seen in a while.
Bannermeister Lou was out with another of his high impact messages but was told by the owner of the laundromat on the corner that she “agreed” with us but if he didn’t untie it from their sign pole she would call the police. Also that his car would be towed if he was parked there (he wasn’t). Lou and I agreed we think of snappy comebacks after it’s too late e.g. As a young student of history the essential question was: how could the German people have allowed the Nazis to do the Holocaust? Now I know how that happened.
It was a great day to use the banner my husband and I created this week using materials and methods from the Backbone Campaign. With 15 inch high orange letters held aloft by painters’ extension poles, it made for a message highly visible even to the most distant cars in line waiting for the light to change.
For legibility we’d added a black sheet behind the message STOP ARMING GENOCIDE and that made holding the banner in a light breeze something like sailing. Ever mindful of the wind direction, we leaned into it with our bodies to keep the thing aloft. It’s meant to be used without the sheet on freeway overpasses where the sky is the background. We’ll try that soon, too.
Some images of resistance are new while others are sadly still relevant 80 years on from the Nakba. Handala on this man’s shirt is the cartoon character of an impoverished Palestinian child who keeps his back turned on Zionist occupiers.
The police kept a close eye on us but never approached, though at one point a Palestinian flag flew from the tree outside their station.
By contrast, in the UK, 400+ people were being arrested in Parliament Square holding signs that said I OPPOSE GENOCIDE – I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION — a proscribed group that takes direct action targeting weapons manufacturers. I not only support them, I try to emulate them every chance I get.
In Brunswick we were standing about four blocks from General Dynamics with our big banner facing that direction. Did they get the message? Hundreds of motorists honked, waved, cheered, and flashed us peace signs while passing by. A handful yelled “Israel” or gave thumbs down or middle fingers. Every outing shows us how much the tide of public opinion is turning against the Zionist genocide in Palestine.
Activists in southern Maine reported that the sign in front of GD’s Saco bomb factory is now missing. Evidence of attempts at cleaning off red paint seem to have damaged the granite marker and its surround. How will people find this popular protest spot now?
Before the summer is out we will definitely be bringing our new banner to the regular Friday afternoon protests there.
As summer concludes you can join us in Unity, Maine to share your message with hundreds of people on their way to the Common Ground Fair on Saturday, September 20. We’ll start at noon rather than our customary 1:30pm so protestors have time to go to the fair after if so desired. Here’s a link to coverage of our outing there in 2024.
