On Monday, details emerged that not only was Smalls detained, but he was physically beaten by the IDF. He was the only Black member of the Freedom Flotilla on the Handala.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/33699653

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/33855533

Chris Smalls, the former Amazon Labor Union president who led the first successful U.S. union drive at Amazon’s Staten Island warehouse in 2022, was violently detained by Israeli forces on July 26-27, 2025, while participating in a Gaza aid mission

“When he reached the Israeli prison, U.S. human rights defender Chris Smalls was physically assaulted by seven uniformed individuals,” the Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced. “They choked him and kicked him in the legs, leaving visible signs of violence on his neck and back”

Smalls was aboard the Handala, an aid ship attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, when Israeli Defense Forces seized the vessel and detained its crew. As the only Black person among the 20 detained activists, Smalls faced notably harsher treatment

The U.S. government failed to contact any of the seven American citizens aboard, while other countries like France, Spain and Italy reached out to their detained nationals. According to Palestinian American attorney Huwaida Arraf, who was released due to her Israeli citizenship, the activists refused deportation and began a hunger strike

“I’m thinking of Chris Smalls. And about how, because he’s Black, no Greta Thunberg, no celebrity, no darling of the liberal class, he might not make it out alive,” wrote author Camonghne Felix

While smaller unions condemned Smalls’s detention, the Teamsters union remained silent despite having recently affiliated with the Amazon Labor Union.

  • Maeve@kbin.earth
    28·
    1 month ago

    However, his international union leader, Teamsters union President Sean O’Brien, has stayed silent on the detention of Smalls, who founded the Amazon Labor Union, which is now an affiliate of the Teamsters. Instead, the Teamsters President Sean O’Brien took to social media to advertise his upcoming interview with fascist commentator Vivek Ramaswamy and his 3 million right-wing followers.

  • Grizzlyboy@lemmy.zipEnglish
    25·
    1 month ago

    Hahaha, that’s the same boat a Norwegian activist was on, and according to IDF (absolutely brain dead idiots) he had 21 pouches of hashish on him.

    The picture they used was of snus. 21 pouches is what’s in a single unopened box of snus. They’ve completely lost it and this just shows the level of incompetence and propaganda they’re willing to spread.

    • Saleh@feddit.orgEnglish
      6·
      1 month ago

      They are just throwing any dirt they can, to distract from the genocide, kidnappings, rape and torture they commit every day and even boast about in Hebrew social and public media.

  • jaybone@lemmy.zipEnglish
    20·
    1 month ago

    Article didn’t say, I’m guessing this happened in international waters?

    And nice to see the teamsters cozy with MAGA. It’s incomprehensible. Bizarro world.

    • Fredthefishlord@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      61·
      1 month ago

      Ngl teamsters leadership probably aren’t too happy that he didn’t just join us immediately when they ended up joining anyways.

    • Saleh@feddit.orgEnglish
      4·
      1 month ago

      Yes. About 60 miles off the coast of Gaza.

      Israels navy is a pirate entity that robs ships in international waters and kidnaps the crews.