Darializa, Osse, and other socialists arrested by the NYPD for protesting Netanyahu highlight the strengths, limits, and contradictions of the democratic socialist movement at this stage.
These politicians are headed to Congress in part because Mamdani validated socialist governance for the world to see. This is directly true for DAC and Valdez, who likely wouldn't be future Congresswomen without Mamdani's success and support.
Still, they're arrested by Mamdani's NYPD for protesting a war criminal. What does that show us? That democratic socialists urge a future beyond what is currently possible, given our movement's weaker strength compared to established institutions, specifically the NYC police department. Hence, the contradiction of Mamdani's cops arresting his closest political allies for a cause he has steadfastly supported manifests on the pavement outside the UN building.
It's fine for socialists to struggle through contradictions. In a capitalist, militaristic world, they are inescapable. (Hence, 'there's no ethical consumption under capitalism.' But we should acknowledge them so we can navigate them as best we can while crafting future plans to resolve them in our favor.
Among those at the NYC protest against Netanyahu, risking arrest:
— Darializa Avila Chevalier, Chris Rabb, Adam Hamawy, Chi Osse, Emily Gallagher
— Hannah Einbinder, Elliot Page, Susan Sarandon
— Caleb Hearon, Mary Beth Barone
— Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker
— Chelsea Manning