Los Angeles August 9th
The screening of
"Birth of a Nation”, considered by many, more Ku Klux Klan recruitment film than 1915 silent movie classic was cancelled today. Activists groups including the Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People and the International Action Center persuaded Charlie Lustman, owner of the “Silent Movie Theater” on Fairfax Ave. to drop the film rather than offend an outraged community.
Civil Rights groups set up in front of the movie house to voice opposition and greet movie fans. D.W. Griffith's flick lifted from a KKK propaganda piece entitled "Clansman" caused an increase in hate crimes against blacks after its debut and continues to spark controversy.
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Eyewitness Report Back –
The event started on (7/23)Friday afternoon, and continued throughout Saturday and until Sunday afternoon. During the entire time 10 activists fasted in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters back home. A tent was set up in a prime spot near the Santa Monica pier and got great visibility by hundreds or thousands of passers-by. It included a mock wall with photos and information taped to it, an information table, and a projector and screen where documentary films were shown in the evening. Participants in this event held pro-Palestinian and anti-wall signs, and flyers were passed out. Various activists spoke on the p.a. system, and there was a candlelight procession in the evening.
The Zionists, as usual, arranged a counter-protest. They hired an airplane on all 3 days to carry anti-Palestinian signs... On Sunday afternoon, they came out in full force, with many racist signs and many of their hardcore members. A lot of friction resulted, in many cases very heated exchanges, including insults, and at least in 3 cases that I saw it turned physical. We chanted pro-palestinian and anti-wall slogans; they chanted their racist slogans.
adapted from Women in Black List-serve
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