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Outrage as North Andover flies Palestinian flag, but the full story is not as scandalous as it sounds

The flag was raised at around 9.30 am on November 14 after the Democrat-led town approved the decision during a furious meeting the previous night

NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS: In an unexpected turn of events, North Andover, a Massachusetts town, officially hoisted the Palestinian flag on their common after a 'heated' debate involving some 600 residents.

The flag was raised at around 9.30 am on Tuesday, November 14 after the Democrat-led town approved the decision during a furious meeting the previous night.

The meeting saw dozens of people gathered at North Andover High School to voice their opinions. The auditorium was packed with people who split into two lines waiting to address the town select board.

The residents who were in favor of flying the Palestinian flag were in one line, while people who thought it was a sign of support for Hamas were in the other, according to CBS News.

Some people had to be escorted out of the room after chanting cries such as "From the river to the sea," which many see as a genocidal cry calling for the eradication of the Israeli nation, which was established soon after World War II in protest of the Nazis' horrendous treatment of the Jewish people.

Outrage after North Andover’s decision

North Andover’s decision to hoist the Palestinian flag has sparked a furious outrage with Marc Freedman, president of the Congregation Ahavat Olam in North Andover, calling it disgusting.

“The town was a coward,” Freedman told Fox News Digital, adding, “I don't believe the flag should have been raised because today it is a symbol of hatred and anti-Semitism.”

Rabbi Idan Irelander, who leads Congregation Ahavat Olam, also told NBC that he was disappointed by the administration’s decision

“As a Jewish community, we are very disappointed. Unfortunately, today the Palestinian flag represents hatred, war, represents anti-Semitism. The raising of the Israeli flag was obviously in solidarity with an American ally,” he said.

Similar remarks were voiced by several internet users, with one saying, “Embarrassing and Spineless.”

“Having that flag below the POW-MIA a flag is total disrespect. Shame on you N. Andover. My guess is that it won’t be there long unless it’s under police guard,” a second user wrote.

“Shame on North Andover... I will never buy anything or even stop in North Andover anymore... Your town is DISGUSTING!!!” the third user stated.

“This is an absolute disgrace! If someone from that town doesn’t have the balls to take it down shame on all of you! Pukes,” another user fumed.

“I would have loved to rip that Palestinian flag down and burn it,” one more wrote.

Is North Andover’s decision really scandalous?

Despite the outrage, North Andover’s decision to hoist the Palestinian flag doesn’t seem as controversial since the town previously raised an Israeli flag for about a month following the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.

The proposal to fly the Palestinian flag was submitted on October 16 - hours before the town updated its policies, in line with a US Supreme Court decision, according to Daily Mail.

Under the new regulation, the town manager, Melissa Rodrigues, stated flags could no longer be flown in the town.

However, since the request was made in accordance with the previous policy, it was put to a vote by the board, and the municipality did not want legal action by refusing it.

Meanwhile, North Andover is not alone in Massachusetts in raising the Palestinian flag in the public square.

The state's second-largest city, Worcester, also raised the flag in front of City Hall, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.