Dozens of demonstrators gathered across the street from the Museum of Science and Technology in downtown Syracuse on Thursday, where President Joe Biden officially announced billions of dollars in federal funding for semiconductor manufacturer Micron's future microchip plant in the town of Clay.
The protesters held signs calling the president "Genocide Joe,” in criticism of his administration’s military aid to Israel for the war in Gaza.
In a press release, protest organizers said the money allocated to Micron would be better served fighting Syracuse's most pressing issues, including the housing crisis, the marginalization of Black communities and childhood poverty, which is among the highest in the nation.
The handful of organizers represent more than a dozen local and regional groups, including the Syracuse Peace Council, Black at Cuse, and the Helpful and Ethical Leadership Project at Syracuse University.
They also asked for an “immediate ceasefire in Gaza.” Earlier this month, the Syracuse Common Council voted down a ceasefire resolution, with a vote of 7-1.
