Opponent of Our View was Charging @ Baby in Stroller Behind Our Line – I Stopped Him – Make Sure Someone is Watching the Line!

I was able to join a protest in Iselin today outside the Middlesex Democratic Convention where Middlesex is picking its US Senate nominee – both the choices in the running are pro-genocide candidates: Andy Kim and Tammy Murphy.

I am hoping to get some photos and videos from the event and will do an additional report.

This is sort of a public service announcement for all of us protesting against the genocide. Tensions are high and incidents are starting to occur at our events. For example, Tiffany D’Amico who is challenging Dem. Boss Norcross (who supports arming the genocide machine) last Saturday, March 9 was spit upon after a woman ran up on the line – stopped in front of of her, cussed her out and spit on her.

The incident today happened as follows. There was a couple at the protest with their child – probably about 2-years old in a stroller behind our line – as part of our protest – we were demanding support for cease fire and letting the Democrats Kim and Murphy know that they are not going to get our votes without opposing genocide. Kim along with the rest of NJ’s congressional delegation just voted for a discharge petition to force a vote on $95 billion in funding for Israeli genocide and war in Ukraine and military build up in Taiwan. So he is definitely funding more slaughter and devoid any humanity per this editor’s opinion.

At some point two men who disagreed with our protest came toward our line. One of them saw the baby in the stroller and was somehow triggered – he started saying something about having the baby at the protest and he started charging toward the baby!

I cut him off and stood in front of him. I told him to back away. He asked the baby’s father if he was going to put the baby in an oven. I think it was his way of calling us nazis. A few seconds later his male friend who was with him encouraged him to move along which he did.

Now I have no idea what his intentions were and why he was rushing toward the baby. He might not have intended to harm the baby but in that moment – and from my years of experience on the line – I know if someone is charging toward our forces someone has to step in front of our group and stand as a picket to stop them – which I did – and it seemed to work.

I was mixed as to whether to report this – but here is the report – let it be a word of caution – always have a couple of people watching the line – at least one – even if it looks like everything is under control. They should stand between our group and police, anyone approaching us with possible hostile intent or any possible issue. There is a whole lot more that can be said about security and safety – for now let’s just say these issues are important and need to be considered from here forward.

I am not sure why he was charging toward and talking about the baby.  He just could have been emotionally triggered and acting on impulse without any true intention of harming anyone. He did indeed stop when I stood in and impeded his path so he did not assault and I am not accusing him of that. But he was moving aggressively toward us and talking about and looking at and if I recall properly pointing at the baby. It seemed he was trying to say that the baby should not be there but both myself and a parent heard his question about “Are you going to put that baby in an oven” which is a crazy thing to say to someone. Whatever the intention – I knew the proper action for me was to step in and impede his path and that worked. He made the oven comment – and I retorted telling him that he himself was just charging at a baby and that he should step back . His friend then talked some sense into him and moved him along.

Just everyone out there – the advice is we do not directly interact with an aggressor if avoidable – we have assignments to watch whatever opponents are there and to get between our line and them if they start approaching. The point is to avoid a physical situation – stand firmly but non aggressively on the path they might have been going for – so they have to physically assault you first to go through – or evade. There are trainings for these sorts of roles – we often assume there is not a problem but we have to start thinking that there might be one.