Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream, has been charged with “crowding and obstructing” others after he was arrested whereas protesting in opposition to the Gaza blockade throughout a US Senate listening to.
Cohen – the Ben in Ben & Jerry’s – made his stand on Wednesday whereas Robert F Kennedy Jr was addressing a listening to of the well being, schooling, labor and pensions committee. A gaggle of activists heckled the well being secretary over his anti-vaccine posture, yelling: “When Bobby lies, children die,” and “Anti-vax, anti-science, anti-America”.
Then Cohen stood up and made his Gaza protest. Video movie recorded on the listening to and posted by Cohen on social media exhibits him being hauled out of the committee room, handcuffed and escorted away.
As he’s being eliminated, a girl requested him why he was being arrested.
He replied: “Congress kills poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs and pays for it by kicking kids off Medicaid in the US.” He added: “Congress and the senators need to ease the siege, they need to let food into Gaza. They need to let food to starving kids.”
Gaza is now within the eleventh week of a complete blockade by Israel which prevents important gadgets together with meals, gasoline and medicines reaching the realm’s 2.3 million Palestinians. Many individuals are surviving on restricted provides of canned peas or dried beans.
A report this week from meals safety specialists warned that Gaza was at “critical risk of famine”.
Cohen based Ben & Jerry’s with Jerry Greenfield, whom he met whereas in school in Merrick, on Lengthy Island in New York. They opened the enterprise in Burlington, Vermont, and noticed it develop into a global model and one of many largest ice-cream companies within the US.
Each founders have gone on to develop into outstanding philanthropists by means of their basis, in addition to activists. Cohen has been a serious backer of Bernie Sanders, the unbiased US senator and Democratic presidential candidate who additionally has his headquarters in Burlington.
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The Ben & Jerry’s duo have additionally been outspoken over a number of years on the Israel-Palestine subject. They describe themselves as “proud Jews” and supporters of the state of Israel, however have additionally been sharply vital of Israeli authorities insurance policies.
In 2021, they co-authored an article within the New York Occasions supporting the choice of the ice-cream firm, which by then they now not managed, to finish gross sales of its merchandise within the occupied territories. “That we support the company’s decision is not a contradiction nor is it anti-Semitic,” they wrote. “In fact, we believe this act can and should be seen as advancing the concepts of justice and human rights, core tenets of Judaism.”
Cohen has been charged together with seven different protesters from Wednesday’s protest. The accusation of “crowding, obstructing or incommoding” is usually used in opposition to protesters in Washington DC, and carries a punishment of as much as 90 days in jail, a $500 effective or each.
