Unconventional Protest in NYC
A former City Council member from Toledo, Ohio, staged a dramatic protest this week by throwing a bucket of cow blood on the windowsill of the US Mission at the United Nations. Interestingly, most passersby didn’t seem to pay much attention.
“It was quite a messy job, with blood everywhere, but I just walked around New York and thought, ‘That’s amusing.’ Nobody really asked me anything,” remarked Mike Ferner, who is 74 years old.
His act was aimed at drawing attention to violence related to Israel as part of a larger protest movement. “We have blood here in the United States. Do we really want it to flow everywhere else too? Why not throw some blood at the Israeli Mission?” he said.
Ferner was arrested shortly after the stunt around 12:30 PM. He faces charges including tampering with detectives and disorderly conduct.
Following his arrest, he spent a night in detention, describing the conditions as comparable to Guantanamo Bay. The next day, he was released on his own recognizance after appearing in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Ferner’s actions are in line with those of other veterans who have often found themselves on the wrong side of the law while advocating for peace through the organization Veterans for Peace, which aims to end all wars.
This particular protest ties into the organization’s “40 Days Fast for 40 Days Gaza.” Remarkably, he had been hospitalized recently due to low potassium levels during that time.
“It’s essential for [Palestinians] to see that there are people in our government who aren’t bloodthirsty,” Ferner stated.
On the morning of the incident, he picked up the frozen cow blood from a butcher in the East Village. “It was like a rock, and I thought, ‘What will I do with this?'” he recalled, noting that he asked the butcher for a microwave, which they didn’t have.
To thaw the blood, Ferner resorted to using a pocket knife to shave it into a paint can on the sidewalk. “Blood was everywhere,” he reflected, wondering why nobody stopped to question him. “It was my chance to explain what I was doing.” Eventually, he borrowed two drivers from a nearby construction crew.
“I kept chopping away at it in the warm morning, and slowly, it started melting,” he said. Once he felt ready, he jumped in a taxi and sped off to the US mission, where he unleashed the mixture onto the window.
He later described a moment when he threw the mixture and a piece of the frozen blood remained intact. “It was kind of like a little football on the sidewalk. An officer asked, ‘What is that?’ and I replied, ‘That’s just the part I couldn’t thaw.’”
Ferner expressed satisfaction with the stunt and noted that people globally are engaging with the video he shared. He hopes his actions might inspire both the Israeli and US missions to rediscover some semblance of humanity.
Having served at the Illinois Naval Hospital during the Vietnam War, Ferner reflects on the true impact of war. “You really start to understand what happens to people in combat; it’s nothing like the movies,” he said.
As a part of his New York experience, Ferner plans to enjoy his remaining days by taking the Staten Island Ferry and people-watching in the East Village.
