Weekly vigil protests ICE and war in Gaza

Every Saturday, the Sunset Park Neighbors for Justice and Peace gather on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 44th Street wielding horns and signs that read phrases such as “¡ICE FUERA!” and “STOP STARVING GAZA!”

The group, which mostly consists of older Sunset Park residents, is organized by longtime activists Paul Stein and his wife Elena Schwolsky, who were originally involved in the Occupy Wall Street offshoot, Occupy Sunset Park. Since 2011, the members of that movement have expanded their focus, evolving into Sunset Park Elders for Black Lives Matter in 2020 and the Sunset Park Ceasefire Vigil in 2023.

But even with their most recent rename and a new, bright blue banner, the purpose of the group has always remained the same—to speak out against injustice from right where people are able to.

“It started out, all the demonstrations, for older people who perhaps weren’t comfortable getting into big crowds in Manhattan,” Stein said.

For Roland Hudson, a Sunset Park resident of 20 years, the weekly vigils provide a safer space for him to come and protest the presence of ICE in the neighborhood, which he calls “obscene,” and “contrary to what this country was found on.”

“What is admirable about this group is that we are all seniors, but that doesn’t stop us from giving something of ourselves back,” he said.

On a day with nice weather there can be up to twenty people joining the Sunset Park Neighbors for Justice and Peace, and on others there could be around five. But Schwolsky doesn’t worry about the numbers, focused instead on holding the same space and being seen every week.

“There are a number of Palestinian folk who live here, and many more in Bay Ridge, who pass by,” she said. “Quite a few people have come up to us and said, ‘Thank you so much for doing this. I have a sister who lives in the West Bank,’ or ‘I have an uncle in Gaza, and I write to them and tell them that people are standing on the corner for them.’ And so I think it’s meaningful in its own small way.”

Standing amongst the vigil, one quickly notices how much support the group receives. From car honks and thumbs up, to pedestrians stopping by to talk, it is clear that the neighborhood appreciates their presence and multilingual signs. Schwolsky only recalls two times over the past several years that the group has been harassed, and Stein always keeps on patrol to make sure people are safe.

While many members also work with other social justice organizations in the community, Sunset Park Neighbors for Justice and Peace operates just as a gathering space. Schwolsky also hopes, however, that they can be an example for activists in the future.

“I’m going to be 80 in a few weeks, so I’m very aware of how long I’ve been doing this kind of work,” she said. “Some of it is a desire to still be involved and not just say, ‘Well, I’m too old for that,’ but also to pass on our experiences and what we’ve learned to a new generation. I think that keeps us motivated.”

The group plans on soon holding a community event to make new signs at Yafa Cafe and having music on the third Saturday of the month. They can be kept up with on the Facebook group Sunset Park Ceasefire Now Vigil.