We want to let you know about an action that we have taken in response to a vile anti-Jewish demonstration outside of Philadelphia City Hall and in surrounding streets this past Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. There were actually people praising the slaughtering, raping and hostage-taking of Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, as well as people wearing Hamas paraphernalia. Such activity in a civil society is unacceptable, and we have asked Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker to condemn what took place literally right beneath her office window.

In addition, we have asked to meet with the mayor to discuss this event and other anti-Jewish activity in the city – including by agencies that her office oversees – and we asked her to play an active role in remedying a city and a society where such slogans and symbols representing mass-murder, rape and violence are both displayed and acceptable.

In addition to the letter, which is excerpted below, we sent Mayor Parker a sample of photos from the anti-Jewish demonstration – a few of those images are below.

We encourage you to phone the mayor’s office – if you call, PLEASE be civil and concise – and support what Greater Philadelphia ZOA is calling for. The phone number for the mayor’s office is (215) 686-2181.

See a portion of our letter and a few images below. Please note that the images are disturbing and upsetting, and view with caution.

“Dear Mayor Parker,

“Philadelphians have much to celebrate – most recently that our Eagles are headed to the Superbowl once again. While the city eagerly anticipated the NFC conference championship on Sunday, Jan. 26, the previous day, other Philadelphians were celebrating mass-murder, mass-rape, massacres of civilians and the kidnapping of toddlers and the elderly for more than 15 months.

“Yes, just below your City Hall office window, a miscreant of the lowest magnitude waved a huge flag emblazoned with the message “Long live October 7th” as part of an anti-Jewish protest.

“On October 7, 2023, thousands of Palestinian-Arabs – led by Hamas though not exclusively Hamas members – invaded the Jewish state of Israel on a morning that was both the Jewish Sabbath and a significant Jewish holy day. They murdered everyone that they could –- overwhelmingly civilians — and in the most barbaric ways possible. Israeli Jews were burned alive, others were shot in the genitals to cause maximum pain before being murdered, and some were beheaded. They raped women and girls, and others they mutilated.

“The Palestinian-Arabs murdered some 1,200 individuals in all on that one day. They took an additional 250 captive including a nine-month-old infant. They physically injured thousands and traumatized millions of Israelis plus Jews the world over. Among those murdered, raped or taken captive were Americans. The Palestinian-Arabs in Gaza still hold captive three Americans.

“Something to celebrate?

“Others on Saturday who stood below your office window wore bandanas reflecting their support for Hamas, which is a United States designated terrorist organization that has murdered hundreds of Americans and calls for the murder of all Jews worldwide (plus members of Rotary Clubs and Masons). Still others on City Hall apron held signs and repeated chants calling for the total annihilation of the Jewish state of Israel. Many waved the flag of the terrorist group the Palestine Liberation Organization, which has also murdered hundreds of Americans and today financially incentivizes people to slaughter Jewish civilians. Others held signs claiming falsely that Zionism – the Jewish people’s movement for self-determination – is “racist” and “fascist.””

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“We call on you to please condemn the evil that took place outside of City Hall on January 25. To be silent is to give it consent. Further, we ask you to work with our chapter to implement reforms where possible to prevent this evil from growing and spreading and becoming more acceptable.”

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“As mayor, you are the leader of the city of Philadelphia. Philadelphia cannot be the City of Brotherly Love when some Philadelphians support deliberate, pre-meditated murder, rape and hostage-taking of fellow Americans and of Jews.

Some of our chapter’s leadership would like to meet with you to discuss tangible ways to stop the evil that is Jew-hatred from being promoted in city agencies and taking root – before there is a catastrophic manifestation of Jew-hatred. Our nation’s 250th anniversary is coming up. Philadelphia will rightly be a focal point. We do not want the city’s reputation harmed or the city embarrassed as a haven for Jew-hatred and support of violence.”

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