Protesters shouted at veterans and the audience, and one held a sign that read, ‘Stop Amerikkkas war crimes.’
Pro-Palestinian protesters shut down a Memorial Day ceremony in Sacramento, Calif., that was organized to “honor our heroes,” the event’s sponsor told National Review.
“We try to ensure that the citizens, our military professionals, veterans, and everybody that has paid that ultimate price are being honored on [Memorial Day],” the commander of Sacramento nonprofit Veterans Affiliated Council (VAC), William Franco III, said. “So we all meet up at the Memorial Auditorium. We host a nice ceremony, and we try to make sure it’s free of protest. But this is the first year that we’ve had protesters around to exercise their First Amendment right, I guess they would say, but we were just trying to honor our heroes.”
Sacramento’s Memorial Auditorium was built in 1927 as a World War I memorial — its front doors originally didn’t have locks, as the architect wanted the building to be an “open shrine for those who ‘made the supreme sacrifice.'” VAC held the event, which was slated to include a flag ceremony, speeches from veterans and elected officials, and a patriotic concert, at the historic site on Monday morning as part of the organization’s weekend of Memorial Day remembrance events. Although attendees were supposed to enter the auditorium, where the names of fallen Sacramento veterans are memorialized on walls, pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted the ceremony and shut down the day’s proceedings.
Brigadier General Robert Hipwell, who served in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and the National Guard for 42 years, addressed Monday’s crowd and was drowned out by the protesters, one attendee said. Protesters shouted at veterans and the audience, and one held a sign that read, “Stop Amerikkkas war crimes.”
Mayor Darrell Steinberg said at the event that protesters were only able to gather thanks to America’s brave servicemen and women.
“Freedom of speech does not mean shouting over others and preventing them from exercising their right to speak,” Steinberg said in a statement. “This is one of the great challenges and problems in our modern culture. Those who died to protect our freedoms would expect that with freedom comes the responsibility to care for others, to respect the rule of law, to learn how to fight for what we believe in with respect and civility, and to never take for granted the sacrifices made by so many.”
Democratic congresswoman Doris Matsui and City Council member Katie Valenzuela also attended the event, as did dozens of Sacramentans.
“We had a good participation, not only from, let’s say, the fed, the city, and the state, but also from the community,” Franco said. “And I think that’s what it’s really about, is showing that the community is strong and we’re here to support our fallen heroes.”