On January 16th there was an
anti-terrorist rally in Berkeley around Bus 19, the burned out
remnants of a suicide bomber, from a year earlier in Jerusalem. The
bus was brought to Berkeley by a Christian group. The candles and
prayer vigil by 500 people at the bus is best described on Jihad
Watch. All the local Bay Area press gave fleeting or erroneous
reports on the event.
Two hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators came to the site to shout and carry anti-Semitic signs. The loudest shout was “2-4-6-8 we are martyrs we can't wait.” The pro-Palestinians crossed the barriers and started a fight. One got arrested for an hour.
I followed the story, at the time, in
blogs. What I learned two days ago was the shocker. The Berkeley
event was organized by a 75 year old female Holocaust survivor. The
City Council refused to authorize a permit, for fear of the
pro-terrorist demonstrators. A radio campaign resulted in so many
phone calls and emails that the Council reversed itself. Then the
council demanded $2 million in liability insurance. The little old
lady got the insurance.
On the day of the vigil the police delivered barricades and left them on the ground. They told the 75 year old woman to put them up herself.
Does this make Berkeley the most anti-Semitic city in America?