Berkeley residents urge ceasefire, clash with council during heated public-comment period

Dozens of people filled the Berkeley council chamber and the meeting’s Zoom line on March 26, pressing the City Council to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and sharply criticizing elected officials for perceived ties to pro-Israel organizations.

The meeting’s public-comment period became contentious after several speakers invoked the Holocaust while urging the council to agendize a ceasefire resolution. Suzanne DeWitt, who identified herself as a Holocaust survivor and Berkeley resident, urged the council to pass a Holocaust Remembrance Day proclamation and linked the appeal to concerns about rising antisemitism and the need for action in the present conflict. "I urge the Berkeley City Council to pass the Holocaust Remembrance Day Proclamation because we are currently witnessing a horrendous surge in antisemitism," DeWitt said.

A chorus of speakers — including students and longtime residents — made emotional appeals. "How can you let these things happen to 1,200,000 children?" 12-year-old Veil Haradi said after describing correspondence with a child in Khan Yunis. Several callers contrasted the proclamation with what they called the council’s refusal to take a position on a ceasefire, saying the two actions were inconsistent.

Other residents described experiences of antisemitic incidents in Berkeley schools. Jessica Perlman, a District 2 resident and parent, told the council her 7-year-old son heard classmates say "Jews are stupid" and later told his mother he wished he were not Jewish. "Safety is a very real concern for Berkeley’s Jewish residents," Perlman said.

At the same time, multiple speakers who support Palestinian rights pressed for a ceasefire and criticized the council’s relationships with Jewish community organizations. One caller who identified as Erica ("Ricky") said: "There is a genocide and a forced famine going on of Palestinian civilians, and the Berkeley City Council has nothing to say about it." That and other remarks prompted audible interruptions from people in the chamber and on Zoom.

Mayor Jesse Arreguin paused public comment and ordered a five-minute recess after chants and repeated interruptions made it difficult for speakers to be heard and the meeting to proceed. After order was restored, additional speakers on both sides of the issue delivered brief comments on the council’s approach and the city’s values.

The council later moved the Holocaust Remembrance Day proclamation to the consent calendar and approved the consent calendar, which included funding relinquishments for a JCC program and a proclamation recognizing May 5 as Holocaust Remembrance Day. Acting City Manager Latanya Bell did not offer comments at the start of the meeting.

The meeting reflected strong emotions across the community about the war in Gaza, antisemitism in Berkeley, and how the council should respond. The council’s formal actions at the March 26 meeting did not include a ceasefire resolution; several speakers urged that be added to a future agenda. The mayor asked staff and the agenda committee to consider scheduling for outstanding items and signaled willingness to convene a special meeting if needed.