Protesters gather outside Toledo office of U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur
Seeking a direct conversation with U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) about her commitment to a cease-fire in Gaza, protesters on Monday walked in front of One Maritime Plaza and were immediately met with two security officers denying them building access.
Susan Kuehn, lead organizer of the Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition, and Walaa Kanan, member of Muslim Americans for Palestine, were frustrated by the refusal to be allowed inside, but it didn’t deter their fourth attempt since the war started to speak with Ms. Kaptur at her Toledo office.
Ms. Kanan screamed chants such as, “We demand a cease-fire,” and, “How many kids did you kill today,” with more than a dozen other protesters who demanded to speak with the congressman and wouldn’t leave until they did.
The group said it planned to occupy Ms. Kaptur’s Toledo office until its demands were addressed.
The nonviolent protesters blocked the doors and stayed there after Toledo police officers told them to move from the door, though they weren’t asked to leave.
They were ultimately allowed to hold their position, with several police officers standing to the side of the One Maritime Plaza, discussing what to do about the situation.
“She hasn’t called for a cease-fire,” Ms. Kanan said. “She’s been open about not wanting to call for a ceasefire. She called for a humanitarian pause, which, frankly, is a disrespectful slap to the face. A humanitarian pause is literally what it sounds like, to pause bombing for a short period of time and then continue. That calls for more violence and calls for more bloodshed.”
The protesters demanded a second immediate conversation with Ms. Kaptur, support from her for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and formal co-sponsorship of U.S. Rep. Cori Bush’s (D., St. Louis) Ceasefire Now Resolution, among other things.
Several protesters held signs and some knelt on their hands and knees in prayer, hoping for support of a ceasefire and an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Ms. Kanan said this protest would be the fourth time they’ve attempted to speak with Ms. Kaptur after her first conversation with activists.
“We’ve had protests,” Ms. Kanan said. “What’s different about today’s [protest] is that we’re having a sit-down. We are refusing to leave until we get an answer from Marcy Kaptur.”
Though the protesters were fully aware Ms. Kaptur was in Washington, D.C. on congressional business, they said they wouldn’t leave unless they talked to her via phone call, Zoom, or other means.
Jasmin Hummos, a protester and Toledo resident, said Ms. Kaptur spoke with several Palestinian organizations in a meeting via Zoom, which Ms. Hummos said she was present for, and were left extremely unsatisfied.
She claimed Ms. Kaptur “deflected” from what the organizations were asking.
“We had a person on the call that was telling Marcy Kaptur, ‘My sister is trapped in Gaza and is trying to get to Egypt,’” Ms. Hummos said.
“She’s crying her heart out, she doesn’t know if her sister is dead or alive… basically telling Marcy her struggle,” Ms. Hummos said. “Marcy goes, ‘Oh, well isn’t your sister being used by Hamas as a human shield?’ She’s living in her own home, traveling freely to the border every day, trying to leave.”
Reached Monday evening, Ms. Kaptur’s communication director, Ben Kamens, said he was not on the call but has not heard Ms. Kaptur state that. He later said other staffers on the call do not recall her saying that, either, in reference to the human shields.
Mr. Kamens was unable to comment about any of the other complaints.
Mr. Kamens, however, confirmed Ms. Kaptur had met with the organizations.
He said a representative of Ms. Kaptur’s, Steve Katich, spoke with the protesters on two occasions and handed them a copy of her statement.
Ms. Hummos said Ms. Kaptur promised the organizations a second meeting more than once but hasn't spoken with anyone since.
When she got in touch with Ms. Kaptur’s representatives, she said, they told her they’ve contacted residents who have lost family members in Gaza.
“I’ve asked [the people she called], ‘Did anyone from her office contact you’ and they said ‘no,’” Ms. Hummos said.
Ms. Kaptur said in a statement: “I will continue to support additional humanitarian assistance and calls for a pause in hostilities to allow aid to reach those who need it, and those seeking safety to be able to reach it.
“More than one month after the October 7 terror attack on Israel by Hamas, the number of people killed, including women and children, tragically exceeds well over 11,000 lives. At least 20 U.S. citizens are still being held among the 240 hostages taken by Hamas. These numbers are shocking and unacceptable,” the statement said.
“Last week, President Biden spoke with {Israeli] Prime Minister Netanyahu, and both acknowledged the value of pauses in fighting to secure the release of hostages and ensure that humanitarian relief can reach those in need,” her statement added. “I again echo the call for such a pause and am given hope by the recent formalization by Israel to conduct daily cease-fires across Gaza to get innocent civilians out of the crossfire.
“We must engage with all parties who seek peace,” the statement said. “That is why I recently spoke with the ambassador to the United States from Egypt on this urgent crisis.”
Common ground was reached “about the need to push for an immediate pause in the fighting and I expressed the urgency of ensuring more humanitarian aid can flow through the Rafah Crossing and into the hands of innocent Palestinians in need,” her statement said.
“I will speak with the ambassadors of other nations in the region this week and will continue to do all I can to ensure that all nations and other actors in the region are working towards a sustainable peace,” she said.
The group said it planned to occupy Ms. Kaptur’s Toledo office until its demands are addressed.
First Published November 13, 2023, 3:47pm
