NEW YORK — A group funded by Neville Roy Singham, a communist tech entrepreneur residing in Shanghai, organized a large anti-Israel protest in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday, coinciding with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations. The demonstration lasted about four hours and involved various materials such as pre-made signs, drums, banners, and a stage.
At approximately 3:40 p.m., organizers from the People’s Forum Inc. gathered at the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue for the protest. Our observation of the event spanned from the initial setup to its conclusion.
Leading the protest was Jodie Evans, Singham’s wife, who has been involved with the People’s Forum and is also a co-founder of CodePink, a nonprofit connected to the larger activist network supported by her husband. Recently, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York began investigating Singham and his network for potential money laundering and fraud, although no charges have been filed against them.
As demonstrators moved through the city, self-identified “comrades” from the Revolutionary Communists of America shouted slogans like, “Long live the intifada,” a phrase associated with Palestinian militant resistance against Israel. While chanting, the crowd used language that underscored a strong opposition to the existence of the Israeli state.
The protest’s scale involved various groups, including CodePink, Jewish Voice for Peace, and other organizations aligned with the Singham network, some of whose leaders have called for the establishment of a “Palestine” in place of Israel. Activist Susan Sarandon was arrested earlier in the protest for her participation in a sit-in that blocked traffic.
By the end of the demonstration, around 8:08 p.m., the participants were seen returning to the People’s Forum headquarters on W. 37th Street, which acts as a key hub for organizing protests around various topics, from anti-American tech initiatives to the Israel-Palestine struggle. Policymakers have criticized these groups for being anti-Semitic and anti-American, suggesting they serve as conduits for the Chinese Communist Party’s interests.
The day revealed the operational strategies behind the protest, characterized by organized staffing, pre-prepared materials, and coordinated messaging. Not every participating group was directly funded by Singham, but their overlapping leadership dynamics highlighted the synergy in their protests, effectively turning momentary political events into large-scale mobilized actions.
Evans’s direct involvement illustrated the connection between the financing of these protests and their execution, especially in the wake of recent Hamas attacks on Israel. The infrastructure allowing for this organization enabled swift transportation of resources and messaging, often seen at many protests, not just focused on Israel but also addressing broader anti-American sentiments regarding various regimes.
In his address, Netanyahu labeled the demonstrators as “phony human rights protesters,” noting their silence over atrocities committed by the Iranian regime. This rhetoric reflects the broader tensions surrounding the protests, which some interpret as crossing the line into calls for violence instead of merely criticizing policies.
Furthermore, the event showcased the use of paid staff in the protest efforts. For instance, People’s Forum personnel were compensated for their roles, revealing a more professional posture behind what many might perceive as grassroots activism.
As the protest reached its finale, a significant emphasis was placed on powerful rhetoric and imagery, promoting a narrative of liberation and resistance. The organization returned to a familiar scene in Times Square, where footage was captured to project a sense of widespread grassroots outrage, despite being tightly orchestrated.
Evans later responded to queries about her husband’s alleged funding of these protests by steering the conversation towards broader themes of support for ending what she termed “genocide.” Her dismissal of more specific questions about funding ties to the Chinese Communist Party highlighted the complicated layers of involvement in organizing such events.
This demonstration, like many before it, displayed a blend of organized effort and spontaneous dissent, reflecting a tension in how protests are both mobilized and portrayed in the public eye.
