Twenty Jews and non-Jews protesting an Israel program were arrested at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center.
The protesters disrupted an educational program May 8 marking Israel’s 60th anniversary organized by the Israeli consulate and the Jewish Community Relations Council.
No Time to Celebrate, a Jewish-led group that opposes the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, organized the protest as part of a campaign against Israel at 60 anniversary celebrations.
While some 30 Jewish supporters of the group entered the JCC and stood in the lobby for about two hours, holding a banner reading “Jews in solidarity with 60 years of Palestinian resistance,” a somewhat larger group of Jews and non-Jews demonstrated outside the building.
Those arrested were cited for trespassing and released.
A JCC spokeswoman downplayed the incident to KCBS television reporters.
“We want to be a venue where people feel comfortable about coming and expressing their views, and our value is to welcome that, but not to have it impact negatively,” Susie Krumpler said.
The JCC is known for reaching out to the general San Francisco community.
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