On December 7, pro-Palestine activists gathered outside Art Basel Miami Beach, using the international art fair to protest Miami Beach’s $20 million investment in Israeli bonds. Organized by groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace South Florida, Al-Awda, and Students for Justice in Palestine, the protest aimed to spotlight Miami’s financial ties to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives.
Volunteers handed out leaflets titled “Our tax dollars are funding the genocide of the Palestinian people” and called on attendees to boycott Art Basel until the city divests from Israeli bonds. Protesters also criticized Palm Beach County for becoming the world’s largest investor in Israeli bonds, with $700 million allocated from its portfolio.
Attempts to display a “LET PALESTINE LIVE” banner near the venue were thwarted by police, who deemed the area a “security zone.” The activists relocated to a nearby intersection but faced further restrictions, with police removing banner poles and monitoring the group in riot gear. Alan Levine, a local lawyer and protester, accused authorities of infringing on First Amendment rights and pledged to pursue legal action.
Despite these obstacles, organizers like Zaina Alsous believed the protest disrupted the luxury art fair, exposing inequalities between Miami’s working-class immigrants and wealthy visitors. “When the rich use Miami for recreation, we have a responsibility to puncture that space with the reality of what’s happening in the world,” Alsous stated.
Earlier in the week, activists staged a similar protest at the Great Elephant Migration installation in Miami’s mid-beach area. The demonstrations also targeted Bal Harbor, a suburb that pioneered ordinances against the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which have since spread nationwide.
Donna Nevel, an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace, framed the protest as part of a long tradition of activism on Miami Beach. “As a Jew, it’s my obligation to say not in my name, never again,” Nevel said, linking the current movement to her family’s participation in civil rights and labor justice protests.
Activists hope their efforts compel Miami officials to divest from Israeli bonds and redirect funds to local projects, addressing pressing community needs in a city grappling with economic disparities.
