Anti-Occupation Jewish Group Unfurls Banner From Top of Coit Tower Urging Cease-Fire in Gaza

Updated 5 p.m. Thursday

Pro-Palestinian protesters in San Francisco unfurled a large banner from a Coit Tower balcony on Thursday that read “Jews Say: Let Gaza Live.”

The demonstration, organized by Jewish anti-occupation group IfNotNow, was aimed at pressuring California politicians like Sen. Alex Padilla, Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Sen. Laphonza Butler, along with President Joe Biden, to join them in calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Spokesperson Cynthia Papermaster said she is hopeful that continued actions like these can convince politicians to change course, citing Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and California Rep. Ro Khanna (South Bay), who joined the call for a cease-fire.

“There are over 60 members of Congress now who are supporting cease-fire, and we started with only 15 or 18 of them,” Papermaster said. “So that is growing, but it’s not happening fast enough.”

Papermaster said it was important to her and her fellow demonstrators to send this message as a Jewish group.

“We really want to get that message out loud and clear coming from Jews because, you know, if you call for a cease-fire, sometimes you’re accused of anti-Semitism, which is completely illogical and wrong,” Papermaster said. “This is a group of young and old Jews, Jews of every stripe, who are really exhibiting true Jewish values.”

At the base of the tower, a group of more than 50 chanted “cease-fire now” and held signs reading “Let Gaza Live.”

The group booed at the mention of San Francisco Mayor London Breed. The mayor spoke out over the weekend against a Board of Supervisors resolution supporting a cease-fire, according to several news outlets.

Earlier in the week, three Jewish advocacy groups — the Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council, the Anti-Defamation League, and the American Jewish Committee — had issued a joint statement urging Mayor London Breed to veto the Board of Supervisors’ cease-fire resolution, which they said created “a deeply toxic atmosphere,” and that “a veto would send a strong message in support of our safety and belonging in San Francisco.”

“Antisemitism continues to surge in San Francisco, with unprecedented targeting of Jewish businesses, students, and congregations,” the Jan. 16 statement read. “The Supervisors in support of the resolution have given license to provocateurs to spew lies and vitriol in city hall and far beyond, retraumatizing the Jewish community.”

The banner on Coit Tower flew for less than an hour before demonstrators pulled it back up to the balcony and left Coit Tower as police arrived on the scene.

The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, which manages Coit Tower, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Workers at the tower said the balcony where protesters unfurled the banner is usually closed to the public but did not share how the group gained access.

This story has been updated.