| Participants Wore Gags Reading “No IHRA” to Protest Attack on Free Speech Photos and Videos |
| WOODBRIDGE, NJ - On Tuesday, July 22 at 10 AM, Jewish and Muslim human rights organizations, faith leaders, civil libertarians, and immigrant rights advocates held a press conference at New Jersey Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin’s Woodbridge district office to demand he stop advancing A3558, a bill that would codify the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into law, and instead immediately pass the long-stalled Immigrant Trust Act (ITA - A4987). Attendees wore gags with the words “No IHRA” over their mouths to symbolize A3558’s threat to the free speech of New Jerseyans. In tandem with the press conference, Jewish organizations released the first among a series of videos of Jewish New Jerseyans and rabbis including Rabbi Yitzchok Deutsch, Rabbi Dovid Feldman, and Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss speaking out against A3558. Sponsors of the Press Conference include: Despite committees this year and last already declining to advance the controversial IHRA bill in response to public outcry on the bill’s threat to free speech, Coughlin has now assigned it to the State and Local Government Committee, which will hold an unusual summer hearing to vote on the bill this Thursday. IHRA has been condemned by advocates of Palestinian human rights for conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Civil libertarians argue that codifying the IHRA definition into law threatens to chill free speech, silence students, and punish those standing up for Palestine. “Committee after committee has refused to vote on this bill, recognizing that it threatens our civil liberties. Yet this unpopular bill keeps being resuscitated to appease politically powerful opponents of free speech.” said Ali Aljarrah, State Lead for Council on Islamic Relations (CAIR) Action NJ. “The IHRA bill defines speaking out against the State of Israel’s colonialism and structural racism as antisemitism instead of focusing on the real threats to Jews right now from white supremacists. We have the right to critique any country, including the US and Israel” added Gabi Rubinstein of Jewish human rights organizations NJ Anti-Zionist Minyan and IfNotNow. The Immigrant Trust Act (S3672/A4987) would prohibit local law enforcement from collaborating with ICE, a vital protection in a state where immigrant families continue to face detention, deportation, and racial profiling. Yet the bill has been stalled, while the Legislature rushes to revive the IHRA bill (S1292/A3558) to appease the Israel lobby ahead of an election. “Every day the Legislature delays the Immigrant Trust Act, families stay at risk,” said Asma Elhuni of Resistencia En Accion NJ. “Enough political games, pass the ITA now and cancel IHRA once and for all.” Community members argue that IHRA opens the door to attacks on academic freedom, student activism, and dissent especially targeting Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and Jewish voices critical of Israeli policy. Several organizations across the country have faced defunding, harassment, or criminalization under similar measures. “This bill is being pushed by anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim extremists who want to change the definition of antisemitism from hatred of Jews to opposition to the genocide of the Palestinian people. Its purpose is to silence human rights advocates. It has nothing to do with combatting real antisemitism," said Rabbi Yitzchok Deutsch of Neturei Karta International. According to Hafsa Habehh, organizer for American Muslims for Palestine NJ “We need real safety, not censorship. The IHRA bill would silence the very people fighting for justice." “CAIR-New Jersey stands firmly against antisemitism and all forms of bigotry,” said Maheen Mumtaz, CAIR-New Jersey Government Affairs Associate. “However, we strongly condemn the bill’s goal to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into state law. We know for a fact this bill would effectively silence advocacy and activism for Palestinian human rights by falsely conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. We reject the weaponization of antisemitism for political gains that would only benefit and fuel the ongoing genocide in Gaza.” BACKGROUND: - The IHRA definition has been criticized by the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and hundreds of academics and Jewish organizations for being vague and open to abuse. - The Immigrant Trust Act would codify and expand protections against local ICE collaboration, ensuring immigrant families aren’t targeted by racial profiling or fear-based policing. - Speaker Coughlin has refused to advance the ITA while fast-tracking IHRA, sparking outrage from immigrant and justice communities statewide. American Muslims for Palestine - NJ (AMP NJ) Black Lives Matter-Paterson (BLM Paterson) Climate Revolution Action Network (CRAN) Council on American Islamic Relations Action NJ (CAIR Action NJ) Council on American Islamic Relations NJ (CAIR-NJ) Educators for Palestine Emgage Action IfNotNow Central NJ Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC) Jewish Voice for Peace Central NJ (JVP CNJ) Jewish Voice for Peace Northern NJ (JVP NNJ) Jews for Palestinian Right of Return (JPRR) Labor for Palestine Neturei Karta International - Jews United Against Zionism New Jersey Muslim Civic Coalition (NJ MCC) NJ Anti-Zionist Minyan PAL-Awda NY/NJ Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) Peoples Organization for Progress (POP) Wind of Spirit (WoS) CAIR Action NJ is an affiliate of CAIR Action, a 501(c)(4) organization. Our mission is to engage, educate, and mobilize Muslim voters, train emerging leaders, and champion policy priorities that enhance the well-being and representation of Muslim communities. END CONTACT: Ali Aljarrah Senior Advisor CAIR Action NJ (973) 303-7300 aaljarrah@cairaction.org CAIR Action Communications media@cairaction.org |