Following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, Princeton residents gathered in Hinds Plaza on Saturday to protest the actions of the Trump administration.
The rally was organized by the Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) and co-sponsored by Indivisible Cranbury. It had been scheduled since at least Monday, Feb. 23, in anticipation of potential military action against Iran. Event organizers estimated that 180 participants were in attendance.
Speakers included CFPA Board Chair Jeffrey Laurenti, former Navy pilot Richard Moody, retired Iranian-American physician Ahmad Farzad, Northwestern professor Annelise Riles, and Indivisible Cranbury leader Laura Zurfluh.
Speakers criticized what they perceived as underwhelming responses from current members of Congress. Laurenti called House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ statement a “pathetic, straddling response,” saying that Jeffries’ characterization of Iran as a “bad actor” and his too-late calls for Trump to justify himself before Congress were irrelevant and should have come before military action was taken.
“Clearly, we need a Congress that is going to have more guts than the current minority leader seems to show,” he added.
Other speakers also highlighted the lasting global effects of the administration’s actions. Farzad shared his anxieties about further military escalation.
“Iran is highly capable of a counterattack,” he said. “Any conflict with Iran could well develop into a massive Middle Eastern war where thousands will be killed. In addition, the long-term effects of famine, poverty, and lack of infrastructure will be felt in many countries around the world.”
“These days, the Iranian people are in a state of shock, sorrow, and mourning,” he expressed. “Iran’s freedom has been taken away.”
The speeches also centered on the legality of the actions, with several speakers saying that the administration’s actions were in violation of international law.
“There is absolutely no doubt that what happened is a violation of international law. You will not find anyone who will tell you differently,” claimed Zurfluh, who emceed the event. “It’s not just international law … we’re disregarding the laws of our own country as well,” Adam Hamawy said in an interview with The Daily Princetonian following the protest. “We’re terrorizing people on the streets, taking away people’s constitutional rights.”
Hamawy was one of two congressional candidates present at the protest who are pursuing the Democratic nomination for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District. Princeton professor Sam Wang, the other candidate present, argued that the legislative branch needs to take a firmer stance against the administration.
“A lot of our problems right now stem from both a disrespect for human rights and a failure from Congress to assert itself,” Wang said in an interview with the ‘Prince’ after the protest. “When Congress doesn’t assert its Article One powers, we have human rights abuses at home and abroad.”
Hamawy also pointed out the impact that U.S. military action has had on civilians across the Middle East and contested the Trump administration’s claims that striking Iran was necessary to national security.
“War is not something I just watch on TV. I’ve actually experienced it,” said Hamawy, who served as a combat trauma surgeon in Iraq.
“All it does is line the pockets of the defense contractors and the warmongers who’ve been asking for this for years,” he continued. “All it does is it takes away money from the American people, and puts it in bombs so that we make misery somewhere else in the world, and it doesn’t make us safer.”
Indivisible Princeton will host a sidewalk “honk and wave” rally this Friday, March 6 from 4–5 p.m.
Toby Chang is a staff News writer from Prescott, Ariz. He can be reached at toby.chang[at]princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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