PHOENIX — The criminal justice reform group Mass Liberation AZ is not afraid to confront police, politicians and public perceptions.
Its defense of Phoenix protestors in the wake of the death of George Floyd in 2020 ultimately helped lead to the resignation of former Maricopa County Prosecutor Allister Adel. But some are asking if Mass Liberation AZ crossed a line when it entered into the debate over the war between Israel and Hamas.
In a statement released over the weekend on social media, Mass Liberation AZ sided with Palestinians who are caught in the grip of war between Israel and Hamas. In doing so, the organization claims Hamas is not a terrorist organization, calling it instead the democratically elected Gazan resistance.
The statement makes no reference to Hamas' slaughter of Israeli citizens or the fact Hamas, which was originally part of a unity government formed in 2006 in Gaza, later took power in what U.S. officials and other nations say was a coup. "It's really disheartening to see that an organization that says they fight for criminal justice reform and issues of that nature, they're taking this on as their top issue now," said Tucson State Representative Alma Hernandez.
Hernandez, who is Jewish, called on Democratic members of the legislature to denounce Mass Liberation AZ's support for Hamas. So far, no one has.
But Mass Liberation AZ went on social media to attack Hernandez, saying she is bought and paid for by the Zionist lobby and her job is to pedal genocidal apartheid. "They put out a statement saying we have falsely accused Hamas of beheading babies and raping women. It's just absurd and really upsetting considering these are folks who fight for justice,' Representative Hernandez said.
State Representative Hernandez requested Governor Katie Hobbs move up the time for the release of security grants for synagogues and other places of worship which may become a target as a result of the war between Israel and Hamas.
