Protests at Oct. 7 memorial deeply troubling

Dear Editor,

After reading the article “Tensions flare outside Yorktown memorial for Oct. 7 victims” in the Oct. 9 issue, I was very disheartened to hear about the protesters and comments made.

To think that there is so much hate in our community of Yorktown is just beyond belief! It's unthinkable that people would protest a memorial event for people who were murdered and those taken hostage and other unspeakable atrocities on Oct. 7. This was not about the war in Gaza or how it is being handled. It was about what happened on Oct. 7, 2023, and only that.

The chants of “free Palestine” and “river to the sea” are statements that mean the elimination of Israel. Anyone can clearly look at a map of the area and understand the significance of this. I am not sure that people realize the depth of what they are chanting. Yorktown News Publisher Brett Freeman said it clearly from the opinion page: “From the river to the sea is a genocidal call for the total elimination of Israel because the land of Israel exists between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.” It means just that. The acts of Hamas on Oct. 7th proved it.

There was someone who attended this memorial that insinuated that the events as presented by someone in the IDF were not true because there were no videos presented!!! Do we need more videos to prove what took place? Are we kidding ourselves? The event was about memorializing the atrocities that happened to innocent civilians because of Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. In another area of the article, someone mentioned that there were no Palestinian keynote speakers. Why would there be? This was not about the plight of them, which is another whole topic or area of concern.

How can we move on when we cannot acknowledge what really happened on Oct. 7th in Israel? War is hell and innocent people are killed. I do not know anyone who is getting joy for what is happening in Gaza. We all have opinions about the war and how it was handled, but what took place on Oct. 7th was just evil!

It is my sincere hope that peace can be achieved so that the people living in Gaza and Israel can live side by side without fear.

-John Scavarda, Yorktown