With a population of 7,500 — most of them white or Hispanic — Ojai would seem an unlikely hot spot for pro-Palestinian activism. But in recent months, Ojai police have responded to acts of vandalism meant to call attention to the war in Gaza, and multiple city council meetings have been disrupted by protests.
The last meeting to be commandeered was on Feb. 13. Resident Larry Steingold was in the middle of addressing a short-term rental ordinance when there was a sudden caterwaul.
“Oh Jesus,” Steingold said, as if he knew what was coming.
The scream had come from Cyrus Mayer, a local pro-Palestinian activist and member of the Jericho Movement. He was covered in fake blood. Mayer was joined by several other demonstrators, who staged a “die-in” to bring attention to the thousands of people killed in Gaza.
The meeting ultimately had to be shut down because of the chaos. It was the second time this had happened. In December, the council gathered to hold a vote on a potential ceasefire resolution, but raucous behavior from the crowd ended the meeting before the vote. The item has not returned to the council’s agenda.
Why Ojai?
Ojai isn’t home to a particularly large Arab-American community, but it is home to the Ojai Valley Inn. The hotel is owned by the Crown Family, which is the largest shareholder of weapons manufacturer General Dynamics. James Crown, who died last year, was the company’s lead director. As one of the world’s largest producers of military weaponry, anti-Israel activists believe General Dynamics is supplying at least some of the weapons Israel is using in Gaza.
Just days before the Feb. 13 meeting, there were protests outside the hotel. Someone plastered the inn’s sign with red paint, sparking a vandalism investigation. There have been reports of people trying to break into the property during private events.
Protesters say they will continue to disrupt Ojai’s public meetings until the city council passes a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, as cities like Madera and Richmond have done.
“We have a lot on our plate and only a certain number of hours in the day, and so my feeling is that we need to focus on issues in our jurisdiction,” Mayor Betsy Stix told the Los Angeles Times.
“There’s nobody here crying for Somalia or whining for the Uyghurs or beating their chest for Mali or Nigeria or any of the other conflicts in the world,” said Steingold as he stood before the dais, still trying to talk about short-term rentals in the city.
Mayer was eventually tended to by paramedics as he screamed on the ground. He was then dragged out of the meeting by force.
He’ll be back.