Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez lashed out at protestors who confronted her on the streets of New York City last year when she was outside of a Brooklyn movie theater with her fiance Riley Roberts. The individuals called out AOC on her stance toward the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, demanding that she label the Jewish state’s military involvement in Gaza “genocide.”
The footage shows the group calling out the progressive “Squad” member, pressing her to condemn Israel for the supposed “genocide.” “You refuse to call it a genocide,” a man wearing a mask said, approaching her. AOC responded to the man holding a cell phone in her face, recording the congresswoman, “I need you to understand that this is not OK.” She doubled down, “It’s not OK that there’s a genocide happening and you’re not actively against it.”
The man continued, “It’s not ok that there’s a genocide happening and you’re not actively against it.” AOC retorted, “You’re lying.” Ocasio-Cortez and Roberts made their way down the escalator, exiting the building. However, the protestors followed her onto the streets, refusing to back down from their accusations that AOC has not condemned Israel.
Roberts, visibly frustrated with the masked protestors, commanded them to “stop” as the engagement had spilled onto a public sidewalk. AOC then addressed the group, stating, “I already said that it was and you’re y’all gonna pretend that it wasn’t over and over again. It’s f–ked up, man. And you’re not helping these people, and you’re not helping them.”
As the incident went viral users on social media pointed out that AOC had seemingly called for this very conduct that she was so perturbed by. “The whole point of protesting is to make ppl uncomfortable. Activists take that discomfort w/ the status quo & advocate for concrete policy changes. Popular support often starts small & grows. To folks who complain protest demands make others uncomfortable… that’s the point,” she previously wrote on Twitter.
AOC released a statement on the anniversary of the October 7 attack against Israel, criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7th, murdering more than 1,200 people and kidnapping hundreds of innocent men, women, and children, was a crime against humanity and an atrocity that will shock generations to come. It was the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust. I have seen footage from that day. I will never forget it,” her press release began.
However, she continued, “In the weeks after the attack, I met with hostage families whose loved ones were being held in Gaza. Their message to me and to the world was clear: we can save the hostages, secure a ceasefire, and stop the needless suffering of Israeli hostages and Palestinians alike. Instead, Prime Minister Netanyahu pursued a path of mass revenge, killing over 40,000 Palestinians, blocking humanitarian aid, pushing Gaza to the brink of famine while only further endangering the lives of hostages, and consistently undermining ceasefire negotiations.”
Pushing for a ceasefire, AOC said, “None of this was inevitable. And it can still be stopped. Hamas, Israel, and Hezbollah should agree to a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. The Biden Administration must uphold U.S. humanitarian law and withhold offensive military support when it is violated. The world must come together to build a lasting peace. All of us must protect our Jewish communities at home and abroad from rising antisemitism. All of us must demand respect for the lives of Palestinians and human rights everywhere. The only way to end these horrors is through a diplomatic solution.”
Watch the incident below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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