Palestinians in Chicago topple extremist pro-Israel election’s candidate

The Palestinian community in Chicago, Illinois, succeeded in defeating extremist right-wing and pro-Israel candidate, Sharon Brannigan, in the local election, news agencies reported yesterday.

According to news agencies, the Palestinian community mobilised other Arab communities and supporters of the Palestinian cause to take part in a campaign to ensure Brannigan does not win in the Palos Township Council of Chicago election race.

Brannigan is said to have carried out “many bigoted attacks on Arab Americans and other neighbors.”

Palestinians, Arabs, and their supporters participated in the campaign against Brannigan using the hashtag #ByeBrannigan.

Brannigan and the town’s board attempted to silence the community but they consistently failed, even after they hired a security company to bully protesters and call the Palos Hills police, leading to the arrests of five leaders of the movement, Fight Back news website reported.

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Protesters were vindicated, however, when the judge deemed Brannigan’s testimony “contradictory”, dismissed the case, and “essentially affirmed the right of protestors to chant and challenge Brannigan and other trustees at the township meetings,” according to an October 2020 statement from the Arab American Action Network.

Incumbent Assessor Robert Maloney appeared to win with 62 per cent of the unofficial vote, however, results reported by Cook County clerk’s office last week are unofficial until certified and all mail-in and provisional ballots are counted. The canvass deadline is 27 April.