Sunday, June 30, 2024
Elder of Ziyon
From Yemen to Palestine to Lebanon to NYC, the symbols of the Resistance are those of honour and dignity, of the defense of humanity against genocide, imperialism, Zionism and their horrific crimes. Towards the international popular cradle of the Resistance - towards victory!
Visible in the photo are the flags of The Hamas Al Qassam Brigades, Hezbollah, the Lion's Den West Bank terror group, as well as a picture of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the motto of the Houthis in Yemen: "Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam"
Is this legal, especially publicly displaying the Houthi call of death to Israel, America and a curse on Jews?
I have found that Claude AI seems to be pretty good at interpreting law. Here's it's response on whether there are any New York City laws that this may violate:
The legality of displaying the Houthi flag in New York City is a complex issue:First Amendment protection: Generally, the First Amendment provides broad protection for expressive conduct, even if offensive.New York City laws: NYC has strong anti-discrimination laws, including protections against antisemitism. However, these typically apply to actions rather than speech or symbols alone.Hate crime laws: New York State has hate crime laws, but these usually require an underlying criminal act beyond just displaying a symbol.Specific context matters: How and where the flag is displayed could affect its legality. For example, displaying it as a direct threat to Jewish individuals or institutions might be treated differently than displaying it as part of a political protest.Potential for civil action: Even if not criminally prosecuted, displaying such a flag could potentially lead to civil lawsuits, especially if it creates a hostile environment in certain settings.Enforcement discretion: Law enforcement might investigate displays of this flag, even if no charges are ultimately filed.Recent tensions: Given increased focus on antisemitism and Middle East conflicts, authorities might scrutinize such displays more closely.While there's no blanket ban on displaying this flag in NYC, it could potentially run afoul of various laws depending on the specific circumstances. The city's diverse population and strong stance against discrimination could also mean significant social and community consequences for displaying such a symbol.
As far as I can tell, the photo appears to have been taken on Sixth Avenue, possibly outside Fox News, but not targeting an synagogue which would make this much easier to call a crime. As it is, it appears that free speech even allows this display, although the police can usually find other excuses for stopping a demonstration like this.
As the response said, context matters, and perhaps the important context that we learn from these sorts of photos is that the "anti-Zionism" and anti-American sentiments are intertwined and impossible to separate from antisemitism, despite the protesters' insistence that they are not anti-Jewish. The lack of pushback from the "progressive" crowd against openly cursing Jews in the city with the largest Jewish population in the world.
The idea of filing a civil suit against Samidoun or any organization that sponsored the rally is more interesting. It is difficult to argue that this sign and the others do not create a hostile environment against the Jews who walk through Manhattan every day. Perhaps some organizations can mount a series of lawsuits to bankrupt Samidoun, Within Our Lifetime and the other extremist organizations that call for the destruction of Israel and America and to intimidate Jews.
Samidoun is closely linked to the PFLP terror group and is itself considered a terror group by Israel and has been banned in Germany. There have been calls to ban it in the EU altogether. Yet it still maintains non-profit status in Canada. Its director in Canada, Charlotte Lynne Kates, has praised October 7 and is married to a senior PFLP activist.
