Demonstrators with New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) disrupted a New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) event a total of 17 times on Wednesday as part of an action meant to raise awareness about NOEW and participating corporations’ ties to Israel’s occupation of Gaza, which has led to the death of more than 31,000 Palestinians since Oct 7.
“Lacy [McManus]” NOSHIP demonstrator Fionn Hunter-Green yelled, addressing one of the panelists who holds a prominent role with a sponsor of NOEW, “If you want to make the world a better place, cut ties with Israel. Genocide is not good business.”
McManus is the executive director of future energy for Greater New Orleans Inc. (GNO), which has financially backed and supported a recent Innovation Embassy agreement between the Port of New Orleans and the Port of Ashdod in Israel. This includes the so-called “start-up accelerator” Idea Village, which produces NOEW.
Tensions rose as more and more NOSHIP demonstrators stood up, with some attendees hurling expletives and even putting their hands on those protesting, including noted biographer Walter Isaacson, whose subjects include Steve Jobs and Elon Musk.
NOSHIP’s most recent action is part of a continued effort by the group — composed of community leaders and supported by Palestinian New Orleanians, Jewish activists and other allies — to challenge what they say is a misuse of Louisiana residents’ public resources by the Port of New Orleans, an Independent political subdivision of the State of Louisiana.
NOSHIP has become a fixture of the Port of New Orleans’ Board meetings, providing public comment demanding the Port of New Orleans no longer support Israel. NOSHIP members say that the Port of New Orleans board has shown no willingness to listen to or form a dialogue with NOSHIP members.
During a board meeting on Jan 18 — after 21 public comments were made opposed to the Port entering into a consulting contract with WSP USA, Inc. due to its…
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