Demonstrators with New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) disrupted a New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) event a total of 17 times on Wednesday as part of an action meant to raise awareness about NOEW and participating corporations’ ties to Israel’s occupation of Gaza, which has led to the death of more than 31,000 Palestinians since Oct 7.

“Lacy [McManus]” NOSHIP demonstrator Fionn Hunter-Green yelled, addressing one of the panelists who holds a prominent role with a sponsor of NOEW, “If you want to make the world a better place, cut ties with Israel. Genocide is not good business.”

McManus is the executive director of future energy for Greater New Orleans Inc. (GNO), which has financially backed and supported a recent Innovation Embassy agreement between the Port of New Orleans and the Port of Ashdod in Israel. This includes the so-called “start-up accelerator” Idea Village, which produces NOEW.

Tensions rose as more and more NOSHIP demonstrators stood up, with some attendees hurling expletives and even putting their hands on those protesting. Noted biographer Walter Isaacson, whose subjects include Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, was one such attendee who tried to physically remove a demonstrator.

NOSHIP’s most recent action is part of a continued effort by the group — composed of community leaders and supported by Palestinian New Orleanians, Jewish activists and other allies — to challenge what they say is a misuse of Louisiana residents’ public resources by the Port of New Orleans, an Independent political subdivision of the State of Louisiana.

NOSHIP has become a fixture of the Port of New Orleans’ Board meetings, providing public comment demanding the Port of New Orleans no longer support Israel. NOSHIP members say that the Port of New Orleans board has shown no willingness to listen to or form a dialogue with NOSHIP members.

During a board meeting on Jan 18 — after 21 public comments were made opposed to the Port entering into a consulting contract with WSP USA, Inc. due to its parent company’s ties to the construction of Jerusalem Light Rail extensions — vice chairmen Walter J. Leger stated “When I put my hand on my chest to pledge allegiance to the United States before this meeting, I can’t tell you how proud it made me that our country, this board and the law in Louisiana provide for people to make comment on issues they know very little about.”

The board would unanimously approve the contract despite public outcry.

Though the Port of New Orleans does not receive any tax money from the state of Louisiana, they do receive grants from federal government agencies, including the Department of Transportation’s recent INFRA and MEGA Grant program.

NOSHIP has continued to call attention to the lack of mechanisms meant to hold the Port of New Orleans accountable to the public, as its board is appointed by the governor. When it comes to NOEW, NOSHIP is hoping to similarly hold the entities involved accountable, highlighting the many ways that involvement in Israel and Israeli corporations is inherently connected to the gruesome actions the country has taken against Palestinians.

According to a statement released by NOEW after the disruption, “the event’s organizers had instructed event volunteers and staff not to physically engage with the demonstrators,” though that directive appears not to have applied to those in attendance.

NOEW has yet to address how attendees responded to the disruption, though the event’s director of communications and strategic initiatives Liz Maxwell did have something to say to NOSHIP members as the action unfolded.

“There are plenty of lounges where we welcome public debate. Anyone is welcomed to have a peaceful dialogue in those spaces,” Maxwell said.

NOEW stated that there will be additional security and non-law enforcement de-escalation resources added for the remainder of the events’ lineup. This hasn’t deterred NOSHIP from continuing its actions, however.

In addition to actions and demonstrations, NOSHIP has released a list of demands, including a call for the city of New Orleans, state of Louisiana and corporations that do business in the state to cut ties with Israel.

“At the end of the day, companies respond when their image is falling, so our role is to organize actions and create opportunities for their bad image to be highlighted in the media, online, etc.” NOSHIP founding member Shreyas Vasudevan said. “In this moment when an increasing number of people watch the genocide in Gaza unfold with horror and newly attained understanding of Israeli apartheid and settler colonialism, our role from the United States is to organize these actions at every opportunity.”

Jay Marcano is a freelance reporter and photographer based in New Orleans covering environmental justice issues and community action groups in the city. They incorporate a multimedia approach to their reporting and creative projects.