Mayor Donna Deegan faces backlash after speaking at Jacksonville’s Ramallah American Club on Holocaust Remembrance Day

Controversy centers on timing, symbolism and community tensions

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is facing criticism after delivering remarks at an event hosted by the Ramallah American Club, a longstanding local Palestinian American organization. The dispute intensified because the appearance coincided with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed annually on Jan. 27 to commemorate the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and honor the victims of the Holocaust.

The criticism has focused less on the fact of the mayor’s engagement with a local civic group and more on the setting’s visual symbolism and the date. Images circulated online showed Palestinian symbols displayed on stage during the program, prompting condemnation from some advocacy organizations and calls from critics for greater sensitivity to Holocaust commemorations.

What the Ramallah American Club represents in Jacksonville

The Ramallah American Club is part of a network of Ramallah community organizations tied to the American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine, a national group founded in the early 1950s. Jacksonville has long been recognized as a major hub for families with roots in Ramallah, and the local club has served for decades as a cultural and social gathering place.

Local civic life has periodically reflected these ties. In past city debates, including City Council actions related to the Israel-Hamas war in 2023, elected officials with longstanding connections to the Ramallah community played prominent roles, underscoring how international events can resonate in Jacksonville’s local politics.

Mayor’s prior statements on the Israel-Hamas war and local community safety

Deegan’s public record on the Israel-Hamas conflict includes a city-issued statement in October 2023 condemning the Hamas attack on Israel, mourning Israeli and American deaths, calling for the safe return of hostages, and also mourning civilian Palestinian deaths. In that statement, she emphasized solidarity with both Jacksonville’s Jewish and Palestinian communities and pledged commitment to residents’ safety and well-being.

Separately, in 2025, Deegan addressed immigration enforcement debates at City Hall, warning that policies perceived as targeting lawfully present immigrants can discourage crime reporting and cooperation with police. That episode also drew sharp criticism from political opponents, illustrating a broader pattern in which Deegan’s language on sensitive issues becomes a focal point in local political conflict.

Key issues raised by critics and supporters

• Timing: Critics argue that appearing at an event where Palestinian symbols were prominent on Jan. 27 created an avoidable clash with a day dedicated to Holocaust remembrance.

• Community engagement: Supporters counter that mayors routinely engage with diverse cultural organizations and that civic outreach should not be curtailed by international calendar conflicts, provided public officials also affirm opposition to antisemitism and all forms of hatred.

• Public symbolism: The dispute highlights how imagery at public events can shape perceptions of a message, independent of the spoken remarks.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed annually on Jan. 27, marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and memorializing Holocaust victims.

As the debate continues, the episode underscores the political and cultural sensitivity required when local leaders address communities closely tied to international conflicts, particularly on dates with globally recognized historical significance.