Groups Supporting Palestinians and Israel Protest on Opposite Corners of State Street

A Palestinian flag waved above the crowd that gathered on the corner of State Street and Las Positas Road on Thursday evening. Prayer candles in the colors of the Palestinian flag lined the edge of the sidewalk. Across the street, counter-protestors held Israeli flags.

Among the supporters of the Palestinian people attending the “Vigil Against Genocide” were members of the Santa Barbara Chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, advocating for an end to the ongoing Israel-Hamas War. Jewish Voice for Peace positions itself as “the largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization in the world,” according to the group’s website.

Holding signs saying, “No Genocide in Gaza” and “Free Palestine,” the crowd of about 75 people chanted “Stop, stop genocide” and “ceasefire now,” erupting in cheers each time a passing driver honked. They also chanted, “From the river, to the sea, Palestine must be free,” a slogan the Anti-Defamation League regards as advocating for the destruction of the State of Israel.

Rand Clark, who organized the vigil, said he chose the location for visibility. “We feel that it is critical that there be a cease fire and provision of humanitarian aid now,” Clark said.

Santa Barbara resident Declan Griffin said he was attending the vigil out of sympathy for the plight of Palestinians in Gaza. “With this last escalation and violence, it feels like we are getting closer and closer to an all-out genocide,” Griffin said.

“I am personally Irish, and we know what it is like to have our country occupied by an occupying force, and Ireland has a long history of standing with Palestinian people. So, I felt like it was my duty to come and stand out for the Palestinian people.”

On two opposite street corners, groups of about five people each held Israeli flags.

Ruscha Robbins stood in one of these groups. Robbins said she decided to come to show people that there is support for different viewpoints.

“I want the people of Santa Barbara to realize that we are Jews, we are here, we exist. These are our people being hurt right this minute,” Robbins said. “We’re normally a rather quiet group. We don’t make a fuss, we don’t scream, but I don’t think we can afford to be that quiet anymore.”

Across the street, Rand Clark said, “We’d love if they were on our side, but not everybody is.”

As night fell, the police were talking with one of the groups. A demonstrator had grabbed an Isareli flag and run away with it, a man said. Santa Barbara Police officers had chased the individual and retrieved the flag. The officers had been on the scene to observe the “First Amendment-protected activities” and respond to calls to dispatch about the two groups yelling back and forth, Assistant Chief of Police Kenneth Kushner stated in a press release. The owner of the flag signed a citizen’s arrest, and the individual was given a citation, Kushner reported.