Palestinian author Susan Abulhawa was attacked by Philadelphia police at City Hall during a city council session.
A harrowing video captures the distress in her daughter's voice as she tried desperately to rescue her mother, who was experiencing a seizure, while the police barred anyone from providing assistance.
This distressing incident occurred on October 19th, 2023 when pro-Palestinian activists stood before the Philadelphia City Council to object resolution #230706, which activists deemed a "fake peace resolution."
Prior to being forcefully removed from the premises, Abulhawa said in a speach "Seeing all these black faces cheering a genocidal settler colonial project it means one thing, and that is that white supremacy has become multi racial. Congratulations on this feat."
Abulhawa's daughter, Natalie Abulhawa, who experienced the traumatic event alongside her mother, shared her account on social media. "The cops were walking right over her body as she was seizing with zero rush to get her medical attention. They wouldn't allow me near her to provide medical care. They wouldn't allow anyone near her. It took 5 minutes of her on the floor before they allowed me near her, and 15 minutes for the ambulance to get there," shared Abulhawa.
Philadelphia artist Leila Delicious took to social media to recount the distressing events. She shared that friends who had gone to City Hall to deliver speaches and protest the city's statement of support for Israel were met with brutal force from the police. Leila conveyed her apprehension for the future of Palestinians worldwide by saying, “I'm horrified for what the future has in store for Palestinians EVERYWHERE.”
