WCVB: Large rally urging 'no preference' primary vote shuts down Mass. road
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A large crowd attended a Cambridge, Massachusetts, rally on Saturday, calling for change to United States policy in the Middle East and urging Democratic primary voters to pick "no preference" instead of President Joe Biden.
On the steps of Cambridge City Hall, demonstrators called on Democrats to use their primary vote to put pressure on Biden. They hope that will translate into pressure on Israel to end the fighting in Gaza.
"Usually, our vote is private and personal. This is not a private thing, and this is not a personal thing," Merrie Najimy, the former president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, who spoke at the rally, said. "This is a clear message to President Biden."
The demonstrators at the rally consisted of Palestinian-Americans and allies, including some Jewish Americans.
"My Mom is Israeli," one demonstrator said. "It's a genocide, and it needs to end."
Fawaz Abusharkh with the Boston Coalition for Palestine, was one of the organizers of the rally.
"'No preference' – even if it's one vote – it will show the actual number, and this is why 'no preference' was the choice for the campaign," Abusharkh said. "We are hoping that it will send the message – not just to President Biden – to all elected officials."