Iran's Press TV Correspondent Reports From Outside Sen. Dick Durbin's Home In Chicago On Pro-Palestinian Protest: There Are Half As Many Arabs As Jews In America, But They Have Very Little Influence Over Politics, Culture

On January 8, 2024 Press TV (Iran) aired a report from its Chicago correspondent Ramin Mazaheri about a protest organized by the Coalition for Justice in Palestine (CJP), during which Lakeshore Drive, a major motorway, was shut down. The protest was held outside the home of Democratic Senator Dick Durbin. In his report, Mazaheri said that although the Arab population in America is half that of the Jewish population, its influence on politics and culture in the country is “relatively non-existent.” He added that Arabs in the U.S. suffer from a “hypocritical double standard” and open and constant discrimination. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) are some of the organizations that make up the Coalition. It should be noted that Press TV, which is a U.S. Treasury Specially Designated Entity operating on behalf of the Iranian government, filmed and interviewed participants in a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the White House on October 28, 2023.

Anchor: "Protests against Israel's genocidal war in Gaza are growing bolder in the United States. The busiest street in the nation's third largest city was shut down for hours, and right outside the residence of a top Democratic party senator. Ramin Mazaheri brings us more."

Ramin Mazaheri: "Illinois Senator Dick Durbin has been called the oldest friend in Congress of AIPAC, the influential pro-Zionist lobbying committee. Protesters gathered outside his home to demand that the second-highest ranking Democratic senator stop supporting Israel's latest war on Gaza. But then activists grew tired of being ignored.

"Protestors crossed from Senator Durbin's high-class residence onto historic Lakeshore Drive along Lake Michigan. Traffic is shut down in both directions on the most important road in the city in a rare and powerful example of local political activism.

"Protesters told angry motorists that the person they should be blaming was Senator Durbin."

Protester: "This is not a religious issue, it's not a political issue, it's a humanitarian crisis. It's an issue that is affecting everybody in the world, or most people, and everybody wants a resolution. So we hope for a peaceful resolution. That's why we're out here.”

Ramin Mazaheri: "The Arab population in the United States is about half of the Jewish population, but Arab influence in American politics and culture is relatively non-existent. For over two decades, open discrimination has been constant, as are hypocritical double standards.

"Since October 7th, public opinion has shifted massively against Israel, especially among young voters. That may embolden activists to try even more attention-demanding protests against Israel's atrocities and murder in Palestine. Ramim Mazaheri, Press TV Chicago."