MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — A group of activists advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza were removed from the Middletown Common Council meeting Tuesday night after singing modified Christmas carols calling for Palestinian liberation. The incident marked the ninth consecutive meeting in which local residents and organizers pressed for the passage of a ceasefire resolution.
The group, which gathered earlier in the evening around the city’s Christmas tree, sang altered versions of traditional holiday songs, including “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” reframed to call for “the liberation of the Palestinian nation.” After sharing hot beverages and finalizing a plan to have city residents take the lead in public comments, the protesters entered the meeting, only to be met with criticism and accusations from city officials.
During the meeting, tensions escalated when Mayor Joe DeStefano displayed an event flier on television monitors in the chambers. The mayor accused the organizers of being part of a nationally orchestrated campaign, led by the Democratic Socialists of America, and criticized their repeated attendance at council meetings. “Instead of discussing city business, we have people surrounding the downtown Christmas tree altering the lyrics to holiday Christmas music to play their little game and come here and entertain,” DeStefano said.
A particularly heated exchange occurred when the mayor falsely claimed that the first speaker, Jason Nietzschmann, was not a Middletown resident. The comment drew laughter from the crowd, with one attendee shouting, “I’ve been to his house!” Other residents continued to call on the council to act, including Charles Lewis, who described the ceasefire resolution as essential to “ensuring the well-being and prosperity” of the city and contributing “positively to the global community.”
Despite these appeals, some council members joined the mayor in mocking the protesters. Councilman Paul Johnson ridiculed a speaker’s use of the word “appease” and questioned the persistence of the organizers, suggesting they were motivated by the presence of cameras. “Is it because they are being told what to do? Do they need new leadership?” Johnson asked. His comments provoked frustration among the attendees, further fueling tensions.
The situation reached a boiling point when Council President J. Miguel Rodrigues called for a recess and ordered the removal of protesters from the chambers. As the group exited, they sang their ceasefire-themed carols in defiance of what they described as “callous” treatment by local officials. The confrontation ended with heated remarks from Alderman Joseph G. Masi, which Council President Rodrigues sought to de-escalate.
Outside, the protesters regrouped around the Christmas tree to reflect on the evening’s events. “We really hope to work together and continue to be able to appease you,” Amanda Krump, a resident, had told the council earlier, voicing a desire for mutual respect. However, the night’s proceedings left the group disheartened.
The confrontation underscored the growing divide between the council and community members over the issue, with frustrations mounting on both sides.