Protesters interrupted New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker in the middle of his State of the City address Monday night, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.
Several police officers responded, including the Chief of Police who was present at the meeting, after the Board of Alders President told protesters that if they shouted, they would be arrested.
The speech was delayed about 20 minutes but resumed just before 8:10 p.m. It ended a few minutes later.
Elicker was about 50 minutes into his speech, discussing the city’s priority issues of affordable housing, job creation, education and gun violence intervention, when dozens of protesters started shouting. They were inside city hall for the duration of the address.
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“I'm almost done and I'm happy, I'm happy to talk to you folks,” Elicker told the group.
The protesters said they do not want tax dollars to go to war. They are urging New Haven officials to pass a resolution for a ceasefire.
They chanted "Ceasefire now" and "Get up, get down. We're asking for it to stop" from the back of the room.
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“This is an unbelievably complex of war,” Elicker told NBC Connecticut after concluding his speech.
Elicker, while expressing deep concern for the situation in Gaza, has some questions about the group’s resolution.
“I'm concerned about some of the language. I'm concerned about the use of the word genocide, for example,” he said. “I have been unwilling to say I support a ceasefire, because I think that simplifies a very, very complicated issue.”
Elicker said he is not worried about the protest interrupting the message of his speech, but in the future, he hopes for a cleaner line of dialogue.
“I think it's important for people to voice those concerns, there's a time and a place for it. And I think tonight's venue is not the appropriate place for that because the Alders do need to get business done,” Elicker said.
There will be an opportunity for public testimony when the resolution that the group submitted goes before the Board of Alders for review.
New Haven officials said no arrests were made.
