On Tuesday, Providence, Rhode Islanders voted overwhelmingly (74.9%) to pass a resolution requiring the city to divest from investments in companies that promote genocide, apartheid and human rights violations.
"This ordinance is the first mandatory municipal sale law passed by popular vote in the US, and makes Providence the largest city in the US to vote to evacuate from Israel."
"Millions of dollars from the city of Providence are invested in companies that contribute to and profit from the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the apartheid system in the occupied West Bank, and the ongoing attacks on Lebanon and Iran," explains a Providence Palestine press release.
In addition, Providence has been investing millions for 20 years in Israeli bonds, which function as direct, interest-free loans to the Israeli government and the army."
"These were ordinary people who said, 'We will create this law, we will get enough signatures to put it on the ballot, we will not wait for our elected officials to do something, we will do the work ourselves to make it happen.'"
Activists from the Watchtower Coalition for Palestine, which includes the RI Jewish Voice for Peace chapter, have collected more than 10,000 signatures.
This is the first time in Providence history that a citizen-driven issue has come up for a vote.