Palestine solidarity protest in Unity, Maine during huge traffic jam

 

Our monthly statewide protest was held on September 21 (Saturday) in Unity, Maine as traffic was backed up for at least two miles on their way to the annual Common Ground Country Fair. 

We've been holding these regular protests in various communities across Maine since February of 2022. These events began with a message of 'No War with Russia or China' and after last October have morphed into 'Solidarity with Palestine'.

Nineteen of us from across the state gathered for two hours as the fair-goers crawled along in stop-and-go traffic. (On our way to the protest intersection spot it took us 30 minutes to go about two miles.) Since I had alot of time to visit with folks in their cars I urged them to honk their horns as they hung a left turn into the intersection. Many did. 

This photo is from last September at this same spot in Unity just to show the traffic.

Comparing this past Saturday to last year at the same spot it was quite easy to see that most of the people driving by were much more engaged this time around. Obviously the daily stories and images from Gaza (and now the 'pager terrorism' by Israel in Lebanon) have impacted the public in a big way.

Israel's current bombing attacks particularly on southern Lebanon are linked to the zionist effort to create 'Greater Israel'. They want control of the Latani River in southern Lebanon in order to provide water for the settler colonies that the zionists have created in northern Palestine.

Our usual habit is to end the vigils with a closing circle and this one was quite inspiring as several new people told their stories about what has brought them into the Palestine solidarity movement. One women reported on how she was attacked in Farmington while holding her flag. She was pushed to the ground and the young attacker wrestled her Palestinian flag from her hands before running off like the coward that he was.

On to Ellsworth

After the Unity event was over I drove friend Russell Wray back to his home in Hancock. I stayed the night and went with him to the Ellsworth Union River bridge for his weekly Sunday vigil. Eight people were there for the hour. Russell has been holding this peace vigil since 2001.

Many out-of-state license plates were visible as this part of Maine is a popular tourist destination because of nearby Acadia National Park - where soon rocket launches will occur just off the coastline on a big 'oil drilling rig' type of platform. .

I then made the two-hour drive home in time to take a walk thru the woods. At 6:00 pm I joined a conference call with fellow defendants who will be on trial in Merrimack, New Hampshire for our March 22 civil resistance action at Elbit Systems which is an Israeli-owned weapons facility. Our 'crime' last March was arriving early in the morning and blocking the entrance before the workers arrived. 

The trial in Merrimack begins on Tuesday, October 1 at 9:00 am at the 9th Circuit Courthouse. We'll hold a vigil there at 8:30 am.

Elbit Systems of America and its subsidiaries have operational facilities in Fort Worth, Texas, San Antonio, Texas, Merrimack, New Hampshire, Talladega, Alabama, Roanoke, Virginia, Boca Raton, Florida and De Leon Springs, Florida. They also have operations in dozens of nations around the world.

The company has been divested from by international investment firms due to its involvement in the genocide in Gaza.

Bruce