Protests cause Rep. Larsen’s Everett campaign launch to be canceled

Five hours before Rep. Rick Larsen’s Snohomish County kickoff at Scuttlebutt Brewing Taproom, his communications director informed the media that they had decided to cancel the event.

Rep. Larsen writes:
“Last week, pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted community events I was organizing throughout the district. I expect the same thing to happen tonight in Everett. My campaign staff is knowledgeable and dedicated to the values ​​we all share, however, they are neither trained nor equipped to ensure security at these events.

He adds, “The protesters and their tactics have not changed my position on Hamas’ unjustified attack on innocent Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. I support President Biden’s calls for a ceasefire and his ceasefire plan -fire, which is supported by a unanimous vote. of the UN Security Council. I continue to call on Hamas to release all remaining hostages. I continue to deplore the deaths of innocent Palestinians. And I continue to support Israel’s right to exist and be secure in the region. »

Jason Call (right) arrested during a peaceful protest with Jill Stein.

In contrast, one of his opponents in the upcoming elections, Jason Call, who is also Jill Stein’s campaign manager, was arrested in St. Louis alongside hundreds of students from Washington University, who demonstrated for their school to divest from Boeing.

Jason Call, who has not participated in any of Larsen’s protests but has always been critical of him, points out “As of 2022, AIPAC was Larsen’s largest donorand they have continued to contribute to his campaign throughout their illegal war to completely ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians, who have been subjected to the most horrific human rights violations in Israel in decades. Rick’s greatest historical contributor during his career has been Boeing.whose munitions were used in the ongoing genocide.

Larsen believes “Protesters have unfairly targeted my staff on social media and in person at these events with verbal abuse that makes them feel threatened. It doesn’t seem right to subject them to another night.

Larsen has raised $24,500 so far, surpassing his goal for the week kicking off his campaign for re-election as representative of Washington’s 2nd Congressional District.