Pro-Palestinian protesters crash San Antonio Mayor’s Dream Ball

Over the weekend, pro-Palestinian protesters made good on an earlier promise to make life “uncomfortable” for San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and members of City Council.

Members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation on Saturday crashed the Mayor’s Dream Ball at the Boeing Center at Tech Port, reiterating their demand that council vote on an Israel-Hamas ceasefire resolution.

Initially, police kept protesters at bay outside the building while ball ticket holders filed in, attendee MarkAnthony Ball told the Current. However, the atmosphere changed once Nirenberg took the stage. Protesters wearing gala apparel inside the arena began chanting “Free, Free Palestine,” as seen in video posted on the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s Instagram account.

After security escorted two women out, a man stood and shouted demands that Nirenberg call for a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict. That protester also was led out of the arena, as seen in video captured by Ball.

The disruption at the Boeing Center comes after pro-Palestinian protesters shouted down District 9 Councilman John Courage during the Thursday press conference at which he announced his mayoral run, Texas Public Radio reports.

“Allow them to say what they want; they have the freedom of speech,” Courage reportedly said. “It’s only helping me get more media attention for my mayor’s race, so thank you.”

The protests targeting Nirenberg and Courage follow council scrapping a special meeting early this month to vote on a ceasefire resolution. District 8 City Councilman Manny Pelaez pulled his signature from a memo calling the meeting, effectively killing public debate on the resolution.

Pelaez has given contradictory answers about why he withdrew his signature.

After shutting down a Jan. 11 City Council meeting to protest the scuttled debate, pro-Palestine activists told the Current they plan to make the lives of those serving on the elected body “uncomfortable.”

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This article appears in Jan 24 – Feb 6, 2024.