Worcester Havurah’s Allie Cislo Speaks Out After City Council Blocks Public Discussion on Gaza Cease-Fire Petition

Photo Licensed via Adobe -Mete Caner Arican

Allie Cislo, Worcester Havurah Jewish community , joined the Talk of the Commonwealth to give her account of Tuesday night’s Worcester City Council meeting where citizens in favor of a petition calling for a cease-fire in Gaza were not allowed to speak. The petition, which over 1,500 Worcester citizens have signed, was not on the Council agenda. Cislo said the Inter-Faith group she is a part of was notified the petition would not be allowed on the agenda late in the day Friday. Too late for anything to be done to get it on the agenda. On Tuesday protestors packed the City Council gallery asking to speak. In a six-five vote the Council voted not to suspend the rules to let people come forward. Cislo said that should be seen as the vote on the petition. Cislo told Hank Stolz that being left off the agenda by the City Clerk due to Rule 11, was inconsistent with past rulings. She points to an item brought forward by City Councilor Moe Bergman a year ago that condemned the inhuman and barbaric taking of hostages in Israel. If one was allowed so should the other. Cislo also pushed back on the subjective interpretation of Rule 11 that the petition did not have to do with the City. She said tax dollars are being used and that and more means it is entirely appropriate for the City Council to take up. She also pointed out that thirteen other Massachusetts cities and towns have done just that.