EVERETT — An effigy of a human body soaked in red was found Saturday at the entrance of the Everett Municipal Building, along with a phrase of a maligned pro-Palestinian sentiment.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free; ceasefire now,” was written in chalk by the effigy, in reference to the current conflict in Gaza. The incident remained under investigation Thursday, according to the Everett Police Department.
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, an outspoken supporter of Israel, has an office in the building at 2930 Wetmore Ave. He wrote the effigy was antisemitic and it advocated for the destruction of Israel and Jewish people.
“Antisemitism has no place in Everett, the Pacific Northwest and the world,” wrote Larsen, D-Everett. “Israel has a fundamental right to exist and an obligation to defend its citizens. Since the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, members of the local Jewish community have experience increased fear. I call on everyone to join me in standing with the local Jewish community and against antisemitism, especially during this difficult time.”
In the 1960s, the “river to the sea” phrase gained traction as a call for a Palestinian state stretching from the borders of the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.
In recent months, many U.S. officials have claimed the phrase is antisemitic. On Nov. 8, the House voted to censure Democratic U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — the only Palestinian American in Congress — for her rhetoric surrounding the conflict, including her use of the “river to the sea” phrase.
The official congressional rebuke claimed the phrase was “widely recognized as a call to violence to destroy the state of Israel.” Tlaib countered the phrase was an “aspirational call for freedom, human rights and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction or hate.”
The demonstration outside the municipal building came after the conflict in Gaza reached its second month. The recent war was sparked by a Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, when around 1,200 people were killed, mostly Israeli civilians. In the ensuing Israeli bombardment of Gaza, over 18,000 Palestinians have been killed, plus over 50,000 seriously wounded. About 70% of those killed have been women and children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
In response to the Everett effigy, Mayor Cassie Franklin released a statement saying the city condemned “all forms of hate.”
“The City of Everett stands in support of peace amidst the conflict in Israel and Palestine. We denounce all forms of hate, including anti-Semitic and anti-Arab sentiments, while acknowledging diverse perspectives within our community,” Franklin wrote. “As Hanukkah is celebrated by Jewish communities worldwide and locally, we stand with them extending our solidarity and our thoughts.
The city wants to “cultivate enduring peace for both Israelis and Palestinians,” she added.
“Locally, we working to foster new relationships and strengthen our existing relationships with the Jewish community to ensure all feel welcome in our city,” Franklin wrote.
Jonathan Tall: 425-339-3486; jonathan.tall@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @snocojon.
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