The fourth demonstrator recounted their experience, which was not captured in the video. They described to ALBB:
“I was being blocked by the Veteran with grey hair, wearing a black sweatshirt & jeans. This gentleman kept shouting "stop touching me" while standing in front of me and the "smallest demonstrator" when we first got up. This tactic was to misconstrue the events and make it appear as if we were violent, although two men were forcibly gripping our banner. Our goal was to silently hold the banner within Pat Ryan's line of vision. None of the attendee's would have even known we were there, if these individuals just stayed in their seats. Shouting "stop touching me" turned everyone's attention to us.
“With two men, strongly gripping the Ceasefire banner, I attempted to keep a portion of it open, unaware that I was working against two men which explains why it was so difficult to hold it up. In my attempt to keep the banner up, I was being pulled down into a table behind me. I was then scolded for leaning on the table. You can see the Veteran with white hair & glasses moving the table in the video, as if the materialistic object had more value than my safety. A male Police Officer looked me in the eyes trying to capture my attention, as he saw I was struggling to keep the sign up. I was informed that they will have to arrest us if we don't leave. I let go of the banner and walked out the door before the other demonstrators. Luckily, I escaped the altercation that followed, where the smallest demonstrator was pulled by his jacket by Chris White's hands. I chanted "Ceasefire Now" as I walked in front of Veekas.”
Said Veekas to ALBB after the demonstration: “Many members of the audience messaged me directly to express their appreciation after the event was over. One member of the audience was so moved by the action that she started chanting ‘Ceasefire Now’ and left with us.”
Congressman Pat Ryan’s Speech In Beacon
Congressman Ryan’s speech was brief and addressed the national and global outrage of the massacre in Gaza and awakening to the growing and violent occupation of Palestine by Zionist Israeli military. He said: "When the rubber hits the road, local government making Beacon a great shining example of what a Hudson Valley City can and should look like. The moment we are in the country - the world - at least in my lifetime - really incredible division. Just ask anyone taking this oath. To really reflect on what that oath means. The idea of essentially explicitly making yourself as an individual 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, below a greater common good. Below a city, below a county, a state, below a nation. Really recognizing that in a time of incredible polarization, the only path through this is a recognition that we don't all get exactly everything we want. We have to be willing to compromise and work together and be civil. That comes from ego and self pursuit of those aims is what causes that division."
Pat Ryan may have been implying that ego is what drove the demonstrators to demonstrate peacefully and silently, until they were blocked and physically handled by Beacon's City Administrator and some Veterans in the building. The Congressman should also note that part of why Beacon is a "shining example" is because of the demonstrating that citizens do for a number of different causes. Sometimes being aligned, sometimes working toward alignment.
In this case, "willing to compromise" on 23,000 Palestinian lives killed, and Israeli hostages still not safely home, who are in fact equally threatened under Israeli's indiscriminate bombardment using weapons funded by the United States Government, is not something many Beaconites will compromise on.
People Sworn In
The following people were sworn in, except Wren Longo. It had been rumored that she had resigned previously. Her resignation was officially announced at a City Council Meeting later. The Mayor appointed Pam Weatherbee to replace her, and appointed Amber Grant, a former City Councilmember, to return to the Councilmember At-Large position. The Council could have insisted on a public vote, but did not do so at the Mayor’s strong urging.
Paloma Wake, Councilmember At-Large, sworn in by Justice McCray (former City Councilmember)
Pam Wetherbee, Councilmember At-Large, sworn in by George Mansfield (former City Councilmember)
Pam was later moved to Ward 3 after Wren’s resignation.
Molly Rhodes, Councilmember Ward 1, sworn in by Mayor Lee Kyriacou.
Jeff Domanski, Councilmember Ward 2, sworn in by Justice McCray, who he replaced.
Dan Aymar-Blair, Councilmember Ward 4, sworn in by George Mansfield.
Mayor Lee Kyriacou, sworn in by Congressman Pat Ryan.
Watch the entire Swearing-In Ceremony here (does not include visuals of the disruption).
