'The Enemy Is Already Here': More Alarming Chants Heard at Progressive Conference in Chicago

Leah Barkoukis | April 15, 2024 11:30 AM

Dozens of activists were led in “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” chants in Farsi during an anti-war conference in Chicago over the weekend.

According to The Free Press, an organizer with the Anti-War Committee Chicago instructed a group in the chant prior to telling them what it meant. Once he explained, an attendee could be heard asking for one more chant directed at America.

The incident took place during a “breakout session” of the conference, which was held to discuss plans to disrupt the Democratic National Convention this summer over the president’s support of Israel.

Joe Iosbaker, an organizer with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, which called October 7 a “good turn of events” in its press release about the terrorist attacks, tells me he supports Iran. His organization has since released a statement backing Iran, where citizens gathered to shout “Death to America” during their nation’s strike against Israel Saturday night.
“We demand hands off Iran,” the statement says. “The people have power, and we will exercise it in the streets.”
Earlier that day, before news of the attack broke, at a “breakout session” on “the anti-war movement,” Shabbir Rizvi, an organizer with Anti-War Committee Chicago, taught participants how to chant “death to Israel” and “death to America” in Farsi.
“Marg bar Israel,” he chanted, leading a group of about 80 attendees along with him. A man draped in a Soviet flag bearing a gold hammer and sickle clapped his hands.
A man in a full black denim outfit shouted out behind his N95—“Can we get a ‘marg bar America’?”
“We can get a ‘marg bar America,’ ” Rizvi replied. (The Free Press)