Mahmoud Abbas Shares His Story And Discusses Bridgeport's Ceasefire Resolution Campaign

The January 21, 2024 episode of Mic Check was a re-broadcast of host Mike Merli's January 1 interview with Mahmoud Abbas, a Palestinian activist based right here in Connecticut. Mahmoud shares his story, and speaks as an organizer with Bridgeport for Ceasefire, a diverse and inclusive grassroots campaign, led by local Palestinians and Muslims, that organized for a Ceasefire Resolution at the municipal level here in Bridgeport. The resolution was conceived by, and put forth by, City Council Member Jazmarie Melendez, whose community organizing and activism began six years ago, when she and her family suffered a very personal tragedy and injustice. On May 9, 2017, her 15 year-old brother Jayson Negron was shot and killed by Bridgeport Police. Having that first-hand experience of being directly impacted by state violence, Jazmarie powerfully decided she wanted her first official act as a Bridgeport City Council Member to be putting forth a Ceasefire Resolution in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and calling upon the City Council to take a stand against the ongoing genocide being committed by Israel. In this conversation, Mahmoud speaks about the important historical context, and the everyday conditions that Palestinians face, in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank. The night after this conversation took place, Bridgeport made history by becoming the first city in Connecticut to pass a Ceasefire Resolution. For more information on the successful Bridgeport for Ceasefire campaign: www.instagram.com/bpt4ceasefire https://www.democracynow.org/2024/1/10/headlines/san_francisco_bridgeport_ct_albany_are_latest_us_municipalities_to_pass_ceasefire_resolutions https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2024-01-03/bridgeport-becomes-first-city-in-ct-to-adopt-gaza-ceasefire-resolution https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/bridgeport-council-gaza-peace-jewish-muslim-18586339.php https://pequonnock.blogspot.com/2024/01/bridgeport-passes-gaza-ceasefire.html https://www.fox61.com/video/news/politics/bridgeport-city-council-calls-for-ceasefire-in-gaza-the-real-story/520-b9a4cbab-243c-4d60-85d5-f264a52fd1c0