The Gaza memorial in Salt Lake City attracts controversy

The dozens of waving red, green, white and black Palestinian flags on the west side of Washington Square Park in Salt Lake City are visible from every corner of the block. They’re attached to the recently erected Gaza Memorial.

Apart from the 50 flags, the installation features posters highlighting the lives of Palestinians killed in the conflict in Gaza, and include criticism of Israel, which responded to Hamas’ brutal attack on Oct. 7 by launching a war against the terrorist group.

Now, in addition to rows of flowers, painted rocks, mementos and messages, there are signs clarifying the origin of the display.

Staff members in Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office confirmed the city put up signs next to the installation in response to complaints and inquiries about whether the installation was sponsored by the city. The sign states, “This display is exhibited on behalf of an individual or group with an event permit for expression of First Amendment Rights. Displays and their messages are the responsibility of permit holders and are not connected with nor endorsed by Salt Lake City corporation.”

Utah For a Ceasefire, the group behind the memorial, released a statement saying the signs were “an attempt by (the Salt Lake City mayor) to influence the message and purpose of our memorial she has no rights to impede or distort. These signs were placed directly in our memorial and are not part of the installation.”

Michael Valentine, who ran in the mayoral race last year as an independent, claimed in an online video he tried to reach the mayor’s office but did not receive a response, so he took the city-owned signs with him and asked the mayor’s office to get in touch with him if they wanted their property back. Valentine said he was arrested over the theft of the signs, according to another video he posted Thursday.

Earlier in March, Valentine faced controversy for putting up a sign saying he refused to serve “Zionists” at his Salt Lake City bar called Weathered Waves. The Utah Attorney General’s Office didn’t find any evidence of discrimination, as KSL News reported .

One of the organizers of the display, Aziz Abuzayed, wearing a Keffiyeh scarf, a “Free Palestine” wristband and a black shirt that also said “Palestine,” stood beside the installation while Palestinian Arabic music played on the speakers on Friday morning. He is the central activist behind the memorial, and he spoke to the Deseret News about the signs.

And while Abuzayed was talking to the Deseret News on Friday, two police officers returned with the signs retrieved from Valentine and set them up on the two sides of the installation.

It was Valentine and Abuzayed’s idea to create a memorial commemorating the Palestinians who have been killed in Gaza. Thousands of Palestinians have reportedly been killed, including Hamas combatants, since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took around 250 hostages. More than 100 hostages reportedly remain in Hamas custody.

The permit for the installation says it will stay open from April 25 through May 12. The organizers have since applied for a renewal and are awaiting a response.

Salt Lake City Rabbi Avremi Zippel said he values freedom of speech and understands the right people have to express themselves. Even though he supports building a memorial, the installation is far from noble to him, and “it’s more about the big splashy headlines in the blood-soaked text at the top of the page, ‘murdered by Israel.’”

He said the student protests on college campuses and the installation “promote and incite violence” against the Jewish community. The Anti-Defamation League recorded a 140% increase in incidents last year compared to previous years, totaling 3,698 in 2023, the highest since they began tracking instances of antisemitic harassment or assault in 1979, according to an April report.

Zippel said he was grateful to the mayor for paying heed to the complaints and putting up the signs. “How can we come together to acknowledge the humanitarian disaster that is unfolding? I think there are so many productive ways for us to do that as a society (and) as a community that does not need to involve incitement of violence,” he told the Desert News. “If folks are serious about having conversations that will bring communities together. I think you’ll find that the Jewish community is all ears.”

When the memorial first opened, Zippel on X, formerly known as Twitter, said he found “the timing of this permitted behavior bizarre. I’m not sure if the powers that be are aware of the countless ‘encampments’ springing up around the country.”

On Friday afternoon, Valentine was arrested again at City Hall. He and Abuzayed claim it was “for trying to request a meeting with the mayor.” Andrew Wittenberg, Mendenhall’s director of communications told the Deseret News they can’t comment on the police activity and consider this an evolving situation.