BREAKING! Angry Mob Of Agriprocessors Workers Protest Outside Multicultural Center

Tired of taking handouts, of the uncertainty, and angered that no…

…paychecks were handed out today, despite Agriprocessors' promises, a group of two to three dozen workers yelled and screamed in from of Postville's multicultural center this afternoon.

Cries of, "We want our paychecks!" grew louder as the crowd's anger escalated.

Jeff Abbas, whose radio station is housed in the multicultural center, went outside and calmed the workers down.

A few of the workers appeared to be drunk.

If something is not done to bring certainty – and fairness – to the Agriprocessors' debacle, impromptu gatherings like this one may become more common.

Students of Jewish history will recognize these types of events for what they are – possible precursors to mob violence.

It would not take much to tip the scales toward riots, and Postville's police are woefully ill prepared for such an occurrence.

Comments

[Archie Bunker]

I hope Penrod has good aim when he goes elk hunting. They may have to deputize him.

[Yochanan Lavie]

They may have to call in the State Police or National Guard. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

[Curious Postville Native]

Archie:

Thanks for making me smile at the end of a very long day.

[chickenman]

sounding more like Appalachia cerca 1920's.
A real shame as it is not King Coal but King Kosher that is the problem. Did the wonderful Governor in Des mOines that was so quick to pour gas on Agri evet show up yet with any help???? like state of emergency??
Hello Governor Culver y'all want a 1920s style food riot?? Oh I get it let them drink ethanol...!!!

[Shmarya]

The governor can't declare a state of emergency unless the mayor asks him to.

Otherwise, I believe he needs to send in the national guard and take power away from the mayor.

[chickenman]

A few extra state troopers hanging out on Lawler would help! Hello Culver take the high road as a leader!

[chickenman]

a few state troopers on Lawler would help.

[baccaloco]

This is only the beginning! Talked to many other agriprocessor employees, this will be a riot on friday when the oops our pay again! Bad part is many workers see all jews as to blame. It whould be the jewish communits best time to run now.

[brave soul]

there was one brave jew who was told to go to the radio station and calm everybody down.
Thank g-d he did it and it went well and lots of people are saying that it is about time agri/rubashkin told people what is going on!!

all of this is in the hands of the bank trustee----go find him and harass him.

[state of the Jews]

Expect a substantial increase in police presence - local and State - very shortly. Both the mayor and police have been notified of the potential for mob violence and they are taking action. Guns on the street scares the hell out of them.
That said, people in the Jewish community should take added precautions - including the Rubashkin family, the shul and individuals easily indenitifed as Agri Jewish employees.

***URGENT***

To all Jewish residents of Postville:

You must sign up for heat assistance NOW, whether you need that assistance at the current time or not!

I have been told by the mayor's office that on Monday, the grace period established by the power companies will end, and electric power will be shut off for anyone in arrears who has not signed up for heat assistance. Contact the mayor's office, KPVL or come to Turner Hall if you need additional information. Do not endanger your family!

[concerned citizen]

Again, please pray for our town!!!!!! It seems to be going from bad to worse. What happens if people do sign up for assistance today and still get their power shut off on Monday? It's just one big MESS!!!!

[Un-Orthodox and Unimpressed]

Gee, it sounds like these poor workers were much better off before the do-gooders came in to help them by closing down the plant.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Gee, it sounds like these poor workers were much better off before the do-gooders came in to help them by closing down the plant.

Posted by: Un-Orthodox and Unimpressed | November 20, 2008 at 10:25 AM

And the drug dealer's family was much better off before the cops arrested him. It's Agribushkin's fault for creating the conditions which caused their plant to be closed. The gov't probably would have done it sooner or later w/o the "do gooders." The DG's just hastened the inevitable.

Or better yet, let's never prosecute any corrupt businessmen. After all, their employees are better off working. Bring back Enron!

[state of disgust]

"Gee, it sounds like these poor workers were much better off before the do-gooders came in to help them by closing down the plant."

Yeah, and all the slaves were better off before Lincoln freed them because they got free food.

[Ed in CT]

To the state police: Get cracking those nightsticks, on both the negros and the jews that brought them to your once safe town.

[baccaloco]

this is nuts. i c my plea to the poor jews to leave postville yesterday has been removed. i only said so because i know the people in the plant and they dont have much to lose. that made me worry about both sides doing harm. we dont need anymore trouble then we have. and there are some really hateful posts in here. just more fuel to the fire. i cant wait till they pay me and everyone else and we get back to work and this is just another bad memery

dont be intimidated
immediately send a misvah tank there and instruct the crowd about the 7 laws of noah

[MeatwadGetsIt]

Is Karma kosher? Is this kosher karma?

If you are in fear, you probably deserve to be.

Ukrainian jewish are all over there, and they are not what I would consier as kosher applicants. If Eskimos converted to judism, would they be welcomed in israel? (the truth is LOL funny anyone would belive so)

[Tom Lowe]

Had Agriprocessors been run cleanly and ethically, it would have had a beneficial long term effect on Postville. Unfortunately, certain types of employment corruption were practiced--and apparently egregiously so--to the point where the Rubashkin Family has permanently stained the history of the town of Postville, the history of Iowa, and the history of immigration into the USA.

There is no saving the situation in Postville. If attempts are made to save Agriprocessors or the presently multicultural nature of the town, past incidents and current problems will fester and break out again later. The plant should be sold to an ethical, non-kosher meatpacking firm to remove the tainted association the town's workforce has had with Judaism, and the presently-embattled Nouveau Jews of Postville should move on and try to do a better job of town-building elsewhere. Otherwise, the present problems will continue until they do move on.

I live far from Iowa and was very glad to see the Agriprocessors raid. Glad to see my tax dollars being used for something constructive for a change. Glad to see my nation being defended against a wide variety of stealthy invaders from the world over, and in this case from all of the following: Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. Glad to see people who use and abuse employees and my nation's laws being arrested. Glad to see sexual abuse, document fraud and meth manufacture being shut down at the source.

And glad to see a chance for honest, loyal Americans to get their town back.