A small group of pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside Rep. Greg Landsman’s (D-Ohio) Walnut Hills office on June 14, condemning the congressman’s support for Israel and his voting record since Oct. 7.
The demonstrators, who were mostly members of Cincinnati Socialists, handed out pamphlets, pins and stickers to passersby. The protesters waved Palestinian flags on McMillan Street as many passing cars honked in support.
“We’re putting this on in response to a couple of votes and decisions that Greg Landsman has made, especially since Oct. 7, most recently supporting sanctioning the [International Criminal Court] for issuing a warrant for [Israel Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu for his arrest for committing war crimes,” said Bernard (last name not provided) with Cincinnati Socialists.
The protest came after Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Cincinnati (SJP-UC) announced the “Abandon Landsman” campaign at a June 8 protest in Covington. Cincinnati Socialists distributed flyers at the Covington protest advertising the June 14 protest. The flyer, which depicted the Jewish congressman wearing a red clown nose, said Landsman has been “shielding war criminals that are actively engaging in committing genocide.”
Rabbi Ari Jun, director of Cincinnati’s Jewish Community Relations Council, said the flyer was “tasteless” and played with “problematic concepts.” Jun clarified that he supports free speech and peacefully protesting public officials when constituents disagree with policies.
“Representative Landsman is a public official, which means that protesting against him and his policies is a normal, constitutionally protected part of democracy,” Jun said. “The problem is the ways in which they protest. Certainly, the behavior in which [Cincinnati Socialists] engage in is starting to make them look more like an extremist or hate group.”
Jun also noted that he does not think Cincinnati Socialists represents the views of most Cincinnatians, including residents who support Palestine.
“I have heard from members of our community who are Muslim that they consider Cincinnati Socialists unhelpful to the dialogue,” Jun said. “[Cincinnati Socialists] are trying to derail a conversation, not promote one.”
Dunia Moreb is a Palestinian Amazon employee who saw the demonstration outside Landsman’s office while delivering a package. She told CityBeat she was moved by Cincinnati Socialists’ support for her country.
“This makes me want to cry because I have people there in Gaza. They are passing away,” she said. “I really appreciate everyone here.”
Landsman’s office appeared to be closed during the protest, but the congressman said in a text to CityBeat that he is “pragmatic and bipartisan,” and therefore “the Socialists have never been supportive.”
Cincinnati Socialists has consistently expressed disapproval of Landsman’s votes regarding the Israel-Gaza War since Oct. 7.
In Nov. 2023, Landsman along with 21 other House Democrats voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the only House member of Palestinian descent, for her comments about Israel, including her use of the controversial phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Landsman was also one of 41 House Democrats who voted to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC), retaliating against the ICC’s attempt to obtain an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for potential crimes committed in Gaza, CNN reported.
Protests like the June 14 demonstration have become increasingly common in the Cincinnati area.
Israel ramped up operations in Rafah, the Gaza Strip’s southernmost city, in early May, sparking international outrage as the city was previously declared a “safe zone.” The humanitarian crisis in Rafah and throughout Gaza is worsening, with thousands of refugees displaced and deprived of food, water and fuel, CNN reported.
Al Jazeera reported that since Hamas militants killed upwards of 1,200 Israelis and captured 250 Israeli citizens on Oct. 7, Israel’s counteroffensive measures have killed at least 37,000 people in Gaza. The status of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza is unclear.
Keep scrolling for photos from the June 14 protest.
Photos by Lydia Schembre
