The Left’s Winter of Rage
Jarrett Stepman / @JarrettStepman / January 04, 2024
From the Summer of Love to the Winter of Rage, the Left has now mastered the use of unleashing uncontrolled mobs on society to get its way.
“It seems clear that progressive activists have established ‘Palestine’ as this year’s rallying cry, and it is therefore likely that the momentum of these protests, with their consistently violent edge, will continue into next year’s election,” independent journalist Julio Rosas wrote at the end of November.
It seems Rosas was on to something. Since that time, pro-Palestinian protests—many of which have been highly disruptive and violent—have plagued American cities. From New York to Chicago to San Francisco to Portland, almost every American city has been hit by unlawful pro-Palestinian protests.
These “shut it down”-style events have caused massive traffic jams, airport delays, the cancellation of events, and, in some cases, serious injuries.
However, much like in 2020, when left-wing protests got out of control and turned violent, the consequences for these widespread disruptions seem light as a feather.
It’s interesting how mobs favored by the Left are treated by our legal system. Why is it that they are allowed to shut down roads and prevent holiday travel? By continually showing that their actions have no consequences, cities and local governments are empowering these groups to create more chaos.
The standard for our society has been made clear: If you want to get your way, unleash a mob.
It’s worth reviewing some of the more high-profile cases in America’s cities.
Bay Bridge Blockaded, California Gov. Gavin Newsom Cancels Christmas
In mid-November, about 200 pro-Palestinian protesters shut down the Bay Bridge that connects Oakland with San Francisco for nearly four hours.
The incident caused massive traffic jams for the already overcrowded Bay Area freeways. The protesters blocked all the bridge lanes. Some parked their cars and threw their keys into the bay so they couldn’t be moved.
The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said that it would press charges against 80 of those who blocked the bridge, but we’ll see if the protesters get any more than the gentlest of punishments. Given the general state of law and order in the City by the Bay, I won’t hold my breath.
In early December, Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., canceled the 92nd Annual California State Capitol Tree Lighting in Sacramento due to planned pro-Palestinian protests.
“As we continue to see protests across the country impacting the safety of events of all scales—and for the safety and security of all participating members and guests, including children and families—the ceremony this year will be virtual,” a spokesperson for the governor said, according to Fox News. “The program is unchanged, and viewers can tune in Wednesday evening to watch this year’s festivities.”
The message is that if you celebrate Christmas in this country, you are supposed to huddle in fear in your home and avoid public places in your state capital because you are now a second-class citizen. People protesting on behalf of a murderous terrorist Hamas regime come first, of course.
Funny enough, the organizers of the protest mocked Newsom and called him a coward for not showing up for the Christmas event.
“Governor Newsom decided to cancel the tree lighting ceremony rather than face the public that is enraged by his shameful silence on the genocide in Gaza,” said Yassar Dahbour of Sacramento Regional Coalition for Palestinian Rights, according to Fox.
This is peak “blue” America.
Mob Harasses Jewish Restaurant Owner in Philadelphia
In one of the uglier incidents to take place in recent months, pro-Palestinian protesters in Philadelphia marched down city streets in early December and stopped to harass a Jewish-owned business.
Here’s the report from CBS News:
Video posted on social media showed demonstrators also made their way to Sansom Street, where they gathered outside the Jewish restaurant Goldie, one of several restaurants in the city owned by Philadelphia-based Israeli chef Michael Solomonov.
The group of protesters is accused of shouting antisemitic remarks, and stickers with pro-Palestinian slogans were reportedly left on the doors, though when CBS Philadelphia checked back early Monday morning, they had been removed.
There were no reports of arrests being made at the scene.
Since that time, countless other protests in Philadelphia have blocked traffic and disrupted the city.
Protesters Blockade New York Airports Following New York’s New Year’s Festivities
New York airports were hit with protests on New Year’s Day, completely blocking traffic at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.
According to Fox News, the protesters shouted “NYPD, KKK, IDF, they’re all the same!” Some of the cars had “intifada” spray-painted on them.
Even more distressingly, it appeared that balloons were released near JFK airport—something that could certainly be a threat to aircraft. Intentionally releasing balloons near an airport is a federal crime.
“The FBI is investigating who let the balloons go because they could cause a threat to aviation safety,” the New York Post reported through a law enforcement source. “It’s unclear if balloons were related to the protest. The Port Authority said it had no information on any balloons, and Port Authority police made no arrests.”
The protests at the New York airports were only notable due to the disruption of air travel and the potential threat to public safety. For the most part, disruptive pro-Palestinian marches—many of which have turned violent—are a common occurrence in the city.
Disruptive pro-Palestinian protests have replaced snow days in the Big Apple.
Chicago Interstate Closed Before Christmas
On the day before Christmas, about 100 pro-Palestinian protesters drove a caravan toward Chicago O’Hare International Airport to shut it down.
The caravan was organized by the “U.S. Palestinian Community Network,” according to Chicago City Wire.
It stopped on I-190 and Manheim Road to block traffic. According to Fox News, this caused both sides of the interstate to completely shut down.
I’m sure more than a few Christmas travelers sitting at a standstill were saying something a bit less polite than “Gee, the traffic is terrific.”
So, what did Chicago do about this illegal blockade of traffic?
Nothing.
Well, almost nothing. Chicago City Wire reported that police gave the blockaders parking tickets and didn’t even tow their vehicles. No arrests were made.
On the same day, pro-Palestinian protesters showed up at the homes of prominent Democrats, including Sen. Dick Durbin. They chanted, “Long live Palestine!”
You get what you vote for, Chicago.
Lincoln Memorial Vandalized in Washington, DC
Pro-Palestinian protesters vandalized the Lincoln Memorial on Dec. 20, splattering red paint around the building and writing “Free Gaza” and other slogans on it. It was quite reminiscent of many of the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 that featured countless historical figures and memorials being vandalized with red paint.
The Lincoln Memorial had to be temporarily closed for cleanup following the incident.
Given how many charges were dropped against left-wing protesters who committed similar acts of vandalism and destruction in D.C. during the riots of 2020, it seems both unlikely the perpetrators will see justice and likely that similar incidents will continue to happen.
Portland International Airport Shut Down. No Arrests Made.
Portland, a city practically defined by anarchy at this point, of course, had a protest to shut down its airport.
A caravan of about 50 vehicles reportedly blocked Airport Way outside Portland International Airport, according to TV station KOIN 6. This took place on New Year’s Day and was clearly an attempt to cause chaos for holiday travelers.
No flights were delayed by the protests, but it’s hard to imagine that all of the travelers arrived on time for their flights. Many people reportedly tried to get into the airport on foot to get around the blockade.
Despite the protest being illegal and a violation of Oregon law, no arrests were made. The city of anarchy upholds its reputation.
If protests continue into 2024, one wonders when and if left-wing officials will become less sympathetic to their cause and start to enforce the law. However, if the officials’ past responses to increasing crime in their jurisdictions—establishing no-bail policies, decriminalizing many offenses, and turning jails into revolving doors where no one spends more than a night—is any indication, there is little hope that will ever become a reality.
