We're on to the police exchange statement. Almost 50 people have signed up to speak about it.
Everyone gets two minutes each and Schewel says "we're strict."
No comments from the council on the statement.
Second speaker says he is from Gaza, says father beaten by IDF, says he was interrogated at checkpoints and saw a 14yo girl shot.
Third speaker says "those who curse Israel will be cursed," passing statement will bring woe on Durham
Fourth speaker, Richard Ford (former HRC member) says this is a non-issue furthering an insult against police chief Davis that she would send officers to Israeli exchange.
Fifth speaker says the way IDF has handled peaceful protests in recent weeks "is not the way we want police to act."
Sixth speaker is trying to play a video and complimenting city staff who helped him sign up for public comment :)
Sandra Korn, with Demilitarize! From Durham2Palestine, says she has been accused of antisemitism for supporting Palestinian human rights. Supports council statement as reflective of Durham's progressive values.
Speaker no. 9 says American police shouldn't be taking tips from Israeli police but "they shouldn't be taking tips from us either." Giving some stats on over-incarceration and police killings of black and brown people.
Speaker representing @NC_DSA says militarization of police "compounds systemic issues. "We reject the idea that Durham police from leadership down to the officers have anything to learn" from Israeli police.
Another speaker talking about a teen shot by IDF soldiers in Gaza
Next speaker says his business brings in Israeli $ for affordable housing in Durham. Says council statement singles out Israel and bringing up conflict with Palestine is diving community. "Don't bring up this divide."
Next up says Demilitarize! From Durham2Palestine is not anti-semitic, but anti-brutality.
Faisal Khan asks council "Would you support what ICE did this week? Because they are doing the exact same thing Israeli police are doing in occupied territories in Palestine." Says this is not a political issue, "it's a human rights issue. It's a dignity issue."
Next up says Chief Davis is exceptional and statement undermines and disrespects her authority to train her own officers.
Duke student speaking about arrests of Palestinians: "Palestinians and black Americans are in the same state: the carceral state."
Another Duke student says council (in passing statement) would be serving "narrow" political interests, stabbing Jewish community members in the back.
Member of @durhampeoples reading statement in support of the Demilitarize! From Durham2Palestine campaign. Here it is in full: scribd.com/document/37653…
Carol Fox asks that council remove reference to Israel from statement. "Israel has no relevance" to how Durham police operates, or police brutality
Looking through council email and Anti-Defamation League, Durham County Lodge #2 Fraternal Order of Police, members of Beth El Synagogue and several rabbis have written in opposition to Demilitarize campaign
A few speakers have asked for reference to Israel to be removed. One says this "vilifies" Israel.
Palestinian speakers urges council to take stand against "intentional murders" by Israeli forces rather than glorify Israel as "counter-terrorism experts"
Getting heated. Speaker Rafiq Zaidi just made a comment about the 'inordinate amount of control" some Jews have over our political system. Mayor Schewel says "I'm one of those Jews ... I can't describe that as anything other than antisemitism ... Don't bring it in here again."
That's it for public comment. Now on to council members
Freeman says statement is "fracturing our community" but has to "stand in solidarity with the people most impacted" by violence. "This is not for me a religious matter. This is a human rights issue."
Mark-Anthony Middleton: "How did we get here where a declaration of what we hold as sacred and valuable in terms of our policing -- how did it get conflated with this issue?" Says its ridiculous to conflate opposition to militarism in Israel with anti-semitism.
Middleton says only reference to Israel in statement is in a quote from chief saying she wouldn't participate in exchanges. Says council didn't single out Israel, just says oppose "military-style training," which doesn't preclude training with Israel outside of "military-style"
"The chief was asked about Israel so she responded ... That's how Israel got in here." Says he's deeply troubled by rhetoric around this debate, inclu. Mayor Schewel being called a "nazi-sympathizer."
Says he's supporting statement "bc it's a positive statement of what we want as policing and by the way this fire (what kind of policing do we want) started long before JVP brought up the issue of Israel."
Reece: Also supporting statement. "Aghast" at things said about Schewel and thanked Schewel for speaking out against "revolting" comments made tonight. Says statement isn't animated by or in advance of anti-Semitism. Doesn't support training officers over seas no matter country.
Caballero: Some speakers mentioned militarization in Latin-American countries, "let's not forget who trained" those forces (speaking about U.S.) Caballero is from Chile, says she's an immigrant because of militarization of a foreign power.
Man in crowd just interrupted Johnson as she spoke about conflation of criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. Others told him to shut up. "Why I should I shut up? All my family has died of anti-Semitism ... all of you are lying!"
Johnson fires back: "I notice you didn't interrupt when any of the men were speaking." Says she'll support the statement.
Schewel addressing why Israel has come up, not Syria or N. Korea: b/c not aware of any police exchanges with those countries.
Schewel says JVP "has worked hard to give the impression" that Durham police and Israeli forces are intimately involved based on one training former chief attended. "It pains me that so many people are being given completely false information."
Says heard from rabbis who oppose Israeli occupation and militarization of policing but opposed petition b/c JVP misled. Says it isn't contact w Israeli police that racialized policing in America "we've done that all on our own."
The other side is also guilty of misleading people, suggesting statement was orchestrated by JVP and that council wouldn't hear what public had to stay, Schewel says.
Says training with Israel and other countries with militarized police not conducive to the type of policing Durham is working toward.
Statement adopted unanimously
Everyone is leaving but we still have eight public hearings to go. This is one for the books.
For the record, we adjourned at 12:07am.
