WASHINGTON (Michigan News Source) – Earlier this week the Doctors Against Genocide – a global coalition opposing genocide –  promoted a protest  that would take place at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, but eventually withdrew its plans after public backlash. 

In a social media post, the group announced an “Urgent Call to Action” to “Stop the Genocide in Gaza” with a protest at the Holocaust Memorial Museum. 

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“Don’t ring in 2024 with an ongoing genocide,” the post said. “11 am at the Holocaust Memorial Museum (please obtain free entry tickets).” 

On Dec. 9, International Genocide Prevention Day, the group held a press conference in D.C. to “Stop the Genocide in Gaza”. The group was joined by Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO), and Congresswoman Illhan Omar (D-MN). 

“Our movement for ceasefire is only growing stronger and I am grateful for each and every single [of the] voices here today, especially my doctors in the Michigan 12th Congressional District,” U.S. Representative Tlaib, who was formally censured in November, said at the conference. 

She also called for a ceasefire and delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza, as well as “the release of all hostages and those arbitrarily detained by Israel, every American to come home, and demand that the Palestinian people live free from occupation.” 

The path to peace according to U.S. Rep. Tlaib must address the “root causes” which she called the “occupation” and “apartheid.” 

One of the group’s founding members, Nidal Jboor M.D., was introduced by Rep. Tlaib as the President of Advanced Care Center and Internist in Dearborn Heights, MI. He spoke at the press conference calling for the rapid deployment of field hospitals to Gaza. 

“I implore the administration,” Jboor said at the conference, “And all politicians to take swift action to stop the ongoing mass murder and genocide of the whole people of palestine.” 

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“Never again. Never again should mean never again for all, not just for some,” he added. 

The D.C. based Holocaust Museum shared on social media its response to the prospective protest. 

“Our Museum is the national memorial to the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. It is deeply offensive to survivors and the memory of the victims to exploit Holocaust history,” it said on X (formerly Twitter).

 “Our long-standing policy against protests in our Museum preserves this space for the solemn memory of victims, the reflection of survivors, and its educational mission.” 

Since the attack on Israeli citizens by the Hamas terrorist organization in early October, the museum also weighed in on the rise of antisemitism in the United States. 

“In the wake of Hamas’ terror attack on Israel, the largest killing of Jewish civilians since the Holocaust, we are witnessing a horrific rise in antisemitism,” said Museum Chair Stuart E. Eizenstat in a statement. “College students, leaders, and the broader public need to learn the history and lessons of the Holocaust—the dangers of unchecked antisemitism, the power of propaganda, and the potential for complicity in group-targeted violence. All of us need to understand the lessons of the past and take responsibility for the future.”

The group organizing the protest, Doctors Against Genocide, made an official statement calling the social media post from Tuesday “misconstrued.” 

“We had recently announced a planned visit to the Holocaust Memorial Museum as a way to educate and engage the medical community,” the group said in a statement. “We wanted to learn from the Museum’s initiatives in genocide education and prevention to inform our own efforts as an organization dedicated to preventing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide around the world.” 

The group also clarified that its intent was not to “protest inside or outside the museum, nor is it our intent to minimize the important work done by the Holocaust Memorial Museum.” 

It also clarified that because of the unclear social media post, the planned event was canceled. To see the full letter, see here. 

The group was founded in November 2023 “as some of the medical community’s response to the Genocide in Gaza” according to DAG, and 

The group also accepts donations as it is a program of Jetpac, a 501-c3, whose mission is “building American Muslim Political Infrastructure.” According to DAG, donating on their site will send money to Doctors Against Genocide and are tax deductible. 

The Zekelman Holocaust Center in Detroit, founded in 1984 hosts thousands of visitors annually and also has Holocaust survivors available to share about their stories of survival weekly at noon on Sundays. The center did not respond at time of press.