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Residents urge Arcata City Council to endorse Gaza sister city, press CalPERS divestment and call for ceasefire
Summary
More than a dozen speakers used Arcata's public-comment period to urge council support for creating a sister-city relationship with Gaza City, press for a council letter asking CalPERS to divest from weapons manufacturers and to pass stronger ceasefire or humanitarian resolutions; the council took no formal action during the meeting.
A lengthy public-comment period at Wednesday's Arcata City Council meeting brought multiple residents and community groups urging the council to adopt a sister-city relationship with Gaza City, press the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) to divest from companies supplying weapons used in Gaza, and to pass stronger local resolutions calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
Speakers representing local civic groups, religious organizations, university students and residents described humanitarian conditions in Gaza and urged Arcata elected officials to take public positions and policy steps. Calls to action included establishing cultural and material ties through a sister-city program, sending letters to CalPERS demanding divestment from weapon manufacturers, and adopting a more forceful council resolution beyond past ceasefire language.
Multiple speakers said they continue to organize on campus and in the community to press for local government action. One speaker said a local coalition has established direct contact with Gaza City municipal contacts and that cultural-exchange groundwork had already begun. Others asked the council to pressure federal and state representatives to act.
Speakers also emphasized that opposition to Israel's military operations is not the same as opposition to Jewish people, and several noted local Jewish organizations that have publicly opposed the war. A smaller number of speakers urged caution, raised concerns about antisemitic rhetoric, or urged the council not to take positions that could be divisive.
No council vote or motion on sister-city status or divestment appeared on Wednesday's agenda. Council members did not take action during the meeting; some public speakers thanked council members who had already sent letters to CalPERS. In response to public comments, council procedures limited follow-up to later agenda items and formal referrals.
The council's formal agenda did include a separate consent-item approval for a digital letter of community support calling for sanctuary and safety for migrants; that item was adopted as part of the consent calendar earlier in the meeting.
Speakers who addressed the council on Gaza and related actions included residents identified in the record as Trisha Murphy, Richard Soderberg, Dave Mazurve, Roman Fierro, Joanna McGarry, Deacon Warren and others representing or speaking with the Redwood Peace and Justice Coalition and similar groups. Speakers were permitted three minutes each during the extended public-comment period.
