FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
CODEPINK Joins Coalition of Organizations in Shutting Down the White House Correspondents' Dinner and Honoring Palestinian Journalists
WASHINGTON - In a stand against the complicity of the Biden administration in the targeting and killing of Palestinian journalists by the Israeli military, CODEPINK and a large coalition of organizations plan to shut down the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The nonviolent action is scheduled for April 27, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm (EDT) at 1919 Connecticut Ave NW. It will serve as both a protest and a tribute to the courageous Palestinian journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Over the past six months, the Israeli military has ruthlessly targeted and killed over 125 Palestinian journalists in Gaza, representing a staggering 10 percent of the journalist community in the region. According to Palestinian journalists, 2023 marked the deadliest year for journalists worldwide in over a decade, with Israel accounting for over 75 percent of those killed.
Palestinian journalists have tirelessly appealed to media colleagues for action against the Biden administration's complicity in these atrocities, including advocating for a boycott of the White House Correspondents' Dinner in solidarity. They face grave dangers in their daily work, including detentions, interrogations, and torture by the Israeli military, all while enduring displacement and harsh living conditions in Gaza.
CODEPINK and its allies firmly accuse the Biden administration of directly supporting Israel's actions, thereby implicating it in the targeting and killing of journalists. They also condemn the United States media for perpetuating anti-Palestinian narratives and ignoring Israeli war crimes.
The White House Correspondents' Dinner, traditionally a symbol of journalistic integrity and freedom, has now become a platform that celebrates and endorses the administration's actions. CODEPINK emphasizes that trustworthy journalism does not lie in complicity but in holding power to account and amplifying the voices of the oppressed.
For more information about the protest, please contact Michelle at [email protected].
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