I was there to film and take pictures as fifty or so peace activists came out early this cold morning on the steps of City Hall to tell Mayor Bill Di Blasio and institutions like Harvard University and MIT in Boston, also where the Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud will be visiting while in the US, not to meet with a war criminal.

Take a look at some recent relevant articles from Aljazeera on the war in Yemen and on the Cholera outbreak that the United Nations has declared the “world’s worst cholera outbreak”.

Protesters told de Blasio to denounce the Saudi Prince’s visit and told Senators Schumer & Menendez to immediately commit to vote to end US support for Saudi war on Yemen. Members of the NYC Metro Raging Grannies and Their Daughters led the protesters in song, and others, dressed as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Trump, held props representing money and war planes.

QUOTES FROM THE EVENT SPEAKERS

Somia Alrowmeim, NYC Protest Co-Organizer and MC:

“For three years now, I have witnessed the total destruction of my ancestors’ homeland and the pain and suffering of family, friends, and millions of innocent Yemenis as my beloved America continues to fuel and support Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen.”

Rabyaah Althaibani, NYC Protest Co-Organizer

“For more than three years I have seen the world forgetting the war on Yemen. I have seen the people who didn’t get killed by rockets and Saudi bombs killed by slow death. Sixty-five percent of the Yemeni people have been working without a salary for two years. They need immediate help. The people are dying from hunger and disease from no electricity, no water, and no gas. Even the environment is polluted by the use of internationally prohibited weapons. I have a hope that the USA is going to stop the war and save Yemeni people’s lives.”

Kate Alexander, Policy & Outreach Director, Peace Action NYS, Protest Co-Host

“The population of Yemen is sick and starving, and being bombed the Saudi-led coalition with U.S. support. Our elected officials — Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Mayor Bill de Blasio — must end support for this unconscionable war impacting Yemeni families, in New York and in Yemen.”

Isaac Evans-Frantz, Unpaid Organizer, Action Corps NYC, Protest Co-Organizer

“Time is running out for the people of Yemen. We thank Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker for supporting the bill to end US support for Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen. We demand that Senators Chuck Schumer and Bob Menendez follow their lead. Congress should listen to the American people: Stop bombing children.”

William D. Hartung, Center for International Policy, NY Protest Speaker:

“Mohammed bin Salman’s propaganda tour of the United States should not be allowed to obscure the devastating impact of his U.S.-backed bombing campaign and blockade of Yemen, which has killed thousands and put millions more at risk. The best way to mark his visit is for the Senate to pass the Sanders/Lee/Murphy bill that would end U.S. support for Saudi airstrikes that Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) has said ‘look like war crimes.'”

Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK cofounder and author of a book on Saudi Arabia, DC Protest Co-Organizer

“Mohammed Bin Salman employs an army of lobbyists and PR firms to sell himself as a reformer when he is really a war criminal and a power-hungry bully whose ego rivals that of Donald Trump. It is absurd that the US is in bed with this ‘prince’ who mercilessly bombs Yemen, shakes down Saudi businessmen, captured the Lebanese prime minister, concocted a rift with Qatar and even kidnapped his own mother. The Saudi monarchy also jails and beheads dissidents, discriminates against the Shia minority, and forces women to live under a repressive male guardianship system. It is not a regime the United States should be arming and abetting.”

Additional speakers included:

Larry Goldbetter, National Writers Union

Sal Altaheri, Office of City Council Member Justin Brannan

Take a look at my livestream video of the event with William Hartung speaking at min 2:11 –

Posted by Cat Watters on Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Rabyaah Althaibani speaks on the livestream video above at min 10.

You can see Larry’s LinkedIn for more information on him or see him speak on my livestream video above at min 11:30.

You can see NYC Mayor De Blasio entering City Hall during the rally at min 16:45 of the livestream video above.

Here is some information about the event from Fedbook event invite: