Palestinians and allies in Downers Grove demand U.S. Rep. Sean Casten end U.S. aid to Israel

Downers Grove, IL- On the evening of Tuesday, August 5, a group of 30 activists led by the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) protested outside of U.S. Representative Sean Casten’s home in Downers Grove, Illinois. The group was demanding an end to the genocide in Gaza, and in particular for Rep. Casten to sign the Block the Bombs Act.

The group clanged pots and pans to symbolize the starvation of Gaza, and shouted chants of “Gaza starves, the USA pays!” on the usually quiet block in the distant Chicago suburb.

The protest was at Casten’s home due to his ongoing support for Israel despite being the elected representative for the district with the largest Palestinian population in the United States.

USPCN and allies have disrupted every town hall and event that Casten has hosted since the start of the genocide in Gaza, with the most recent disruption in La Grange on July 30, where Casten allowed police to physically assault and remove protesters before promptly running away. Casten was scheduled to host another town hall in Burr Ridge on August 5 but cancelled the event at the last minute.

“Sean Casten thinks he can cancel a town hall to avoid his Palestinian constituents, so we’re showing up at his house at dinner time,” said Nick Sous of USPCN. “We refuse to let him have a peaceful dinner with his family while people starve in Gaza because of where he has sent our taxes.”

“Casten could have met with his Palestinian constituents when he won his election in 2016, but instead he has hid, he has closed doors, he’s driven off, and he’s run away like a coward,” Sous added.

One Palestinian constituent of Casten’s said, “Any civilized person would see that this is not acceptable on any level, yet Sean continues to fund the genocidal terrorist state of Israel!”

The protest lasted for approximately an hour, drawing hesitant looks from Casten’s neighbors in the predominantly white neighborhood. During the protest, Casten was seen pulling a U-turn on his own street and fleeing from his home. The police responded to calls from neighbors of a noise complaint, leading to police banning use of bullhorns, yet protesters retained their volume and chanted even louder before departing from the residential street.

USPCN called upon protesters and onlooking neighbors to keep the pressure on Casten until he ends his support for the State of Israel, and it plans to continue their disruptions. They are asking people to call Casten’s offices and demand he sign on to the Block the Bombs Act (HR 3565). For more information, see this USPCN Instagram post.

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