WASHINGTON—A pro-Palestine art show at the famous Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C., descended into chaos on the night of April 18 over the store’s removal of artwork that was accused of glorifying terror attacks against Israel, sparking a raucous protest outside the store late into the night.
Earlier in the month, owner Bradley Graham demanded the removal of an artwork that depicted the word “intifada” written in Arabic, a request which infuriated the group. The term refers to a series of violent attacks against Israel.
The artist collective originally struck a deal with Politics and Prose to showcase their art in the bookstore’s basement cafe to commemorate Arab American Heritage Month from April 4 to May 4. The group said they hoped the art show would bring attention to the plight of Palestinians living in Gaza.
Near the conclusion of the event, one of the members of Watermelon Seeds, a collective of ten artists and activists supportive of the Palestinian cause, announced the immediate termination of their agreement with the bookstore to host their artwork. In response, she announced that the group would hold an impromptu protest in front of Politics and Prose.
“In response to the violation of our freedom of speech at Politics and Prose, we have collectively chosen to vacate this space that no longer aligns with our values by staging an art walkout protest tonight. So, while it saddens us that people will miss a chance to experience our artwork for the remainder of the month, it is ultimately the owner’s decision that has deprived their community of their exposure,” she said.
Miranda Woods, the artist whose work was allegedly censored, displayed the banned work in the room—a spray-painted watermelon with the word “intifada” superimposed in Arabic.
Fairouz Foty, an opera singer who performed for the crowd that night, expressed disappointment in the store’s decision to remove the artwork.
Ms. Foty assailed the character of the heavily Jewish Chevy Chase neighborhood, dismissing the residents as “Zionists.”
“Really, this is where the change really happens, is the grassroots efforts, because Chevy Chase is notoriously Zionist,” Ms. Foty said
Ms. Foty’s grandmother walked to the front of the room and grabbed the painting. She argued that “intifada” simply means “uprising” and compared the actions of Hamas to black American abolitionists during the slavery era.
The group then instructed event guests to chant “Free Palestine” as they marched out of Politics and Prose. The group formed a protest outside of the bookstore, chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “There is only one solution. Intifada revolution!” Some of the organizers danced to Arabic music while waving the Palestinian flag.
Alex Horn, a Jewish American writer and founder of Green Golem, a Zionist literary magazine, rejected the notion that the chant “intifada” does not contain anti-Semitic intent.
“Words have multiple meanings, and people who use them hatefully shouldn’t be allowed to hide from the consequences by jumping from one meaning to another at their convenience,” Mr. Horn said.
“In some contexts ‘jihad’ can refer to an internal spiritual struggle with the nature of the divine—but when people call for jihad against America, we know they mean war. It’s the same thing with intifada. When people call for ‘intifada’ in the context of Israel and Palestine, they are referencing the First and Second Intifadas, which means they are absolutely supporting suicide bombers and other forms of terrorism against Israelis,” Mr. Horn continued.
Politics and Prose, founded in 1984, has long been one of Washington’s most popular bookstores and a favorite of the area’s liberal elite. Former President Barack Obama visited Politics and Prose in 2014 to celebrate small businesses. Former First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a book signing at the bookstore in 2013. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton collaborated with Politics and Prose to host a book signing in 2017. Former U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice also collaborated with Politics and Prose for a book signing in 2019.
Politics and Prose did not respond to Epoch Times’s request for comment.
