By Meital Nahmias
On October 7th, while Israel was still under attack, organized groups across the world were already requesting permission to hold protests, not against terrorism or in support of Israel, but against Israel. For nearly two years, pro-Palestinian marches and protests have taken over the streets in many cities across the U.S. and Europe.
While protests are granted under freedom of expression, the nature of many of these demonstrations has raised serious concerns, as we have seen open displays of antisemitism, glorification of terror organizations, and even expressions of support for terrorist leaders such as Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah and Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader and the terrorist behind the October 7th massacre. While it is hard to witness such support for terrorism in the U.S, it is legal and allowed.
But one of the biggest questions when it comes to these protests is: who is behind them? Are these genuine displays of activism and concern for the people of Gaza, or are they funded demonstrations led by paid professional protesters whose job is to protest against Israel and the Jewish communities?
One of the leading voices investigating this issue is Jewish-American independent journalist Nate Friedman, who has spent the past year uncovering the networks and financial infrastructure behind many of these protest movements.
Over the past year, Nate has gained a significant following on social media and built a reputation as a credible and independent journalist, especially when it comes to uncovering who is really behind the protests. We spoke with him to learn more about his work.
When did you start making these videos and what was your first video?
Last year, I set out to make a street video where I asked migrants who they were voting for, because there were a lot of reports and rumors that migrants were going to vote illegally in the election. I interviewed a migrant who, on record, said he had heard that he could vote. So I wanted to find out if this was really happening or not, and I took to the streets. That was my first video.
From that video, how did you end up making videos exposing the protesters?
I went to a Tesla takedown protest because it was one of the protests happening at the time. The election was already over, Trump had won, so I wanted to see what was next. Protests were starting to emerge all across the country, and some of them were getting really big. One of the main things people at these protests hated was that Elon Musk was working with President Trump.
I went there to understand what they actually wanted. Why were they calling him a Nazi? As someone who is Jewish and has family members who died in the Holocaust, I know Elon is not a Nazi. But I wanted to hear directly from them why they believed that.
While I was there, I had people following me around, trying to prevent me from doing interviews with signs of “right-wing troll” and whispering to the people I was trying to interview, telling them not to speak with me or tell me to leave. They even followed me outside the protest. And that’s how I got into this type of videos.
How do you find the information about the protesters?
Through a process I have developed over a long time. The information I find is all publicly available on the internet.
After you expose the information, do you forward it to the authorities or just share it in your videos?
I mainly expose the information through my videos, but I can say that President Trump has shared my work before, and several members of Congress have posted it too.
We asked Nate if he wears any Jewish symbols and whether the protesters know he is Jewish. Nate replied that he doesn’t attend these protests with visible Jewish signs, although some protesters do know he is Jewish because they recognize him from his videos. He added that he owns a Star of David necklace but keeps it hidden, as wearing it openly would be like a red flag and could prevent protesters from answering his questions.
Watching some of Nate’s videos, one in particular stood out for the way he handled a challenging situation. In the video, Nate was trying to interview someone but was constantly disrupted by a woman holding a whistle and a “right-wing troll” sign, repeatedly interfering with the interviews. We asked Nate how he manages such situations with so much patience?
I have patience because it’s my job to have patience. My job is to go out there and show people who these protesters really are. If I were to get nervous or frustrated, I wouldn’t be doing my job properly.
Have you ever experienced or witnessed violence at these protests?
Yes, someone tried to come at me at one of the latest protests I attended. He was a teacher for a while, tutors kids, and openly advocates for Hamas.
How do you recognize the people you later expose? Do you see the same people at different protests?
Yes, many of the same people keep showing up, and the organizers are often the same. While many participants are not paid, they genuinely believe in destroying the West, they hate capitalism, they hate Israel, and that is the truth.
In connection to October 7th, we asked Nate if he had ever shown the protesters images from the attack and whether they were aware of what happened. Nate responded that they do know, but they simply don’t care. They believe that Hamas are freedom fighters.
We asked Nate if he receives death threats and what types of comments or messages he gets. He responded that, while he won’t comment on the death threats, most of the feedback he receives is positive. Many Americans are very supportive and kind.
From your perspective as an American Jew, how have Israel–diaspora relations changed since October 7th? Before October 7th, many people were indifferent toward Israel—neutrality, as they say. If you mentioned that you were from Israel, most people would have just said, “Okay, whatever.” Now, the reaction is very different.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to do what you do? Forge your own path. People start in many different ways, and there isn’t a single way.
While the protests since October 7th, 2023, have not subsided, independent journalists like Nate, who work tirelessly to expose the people behind these demonstrations and their motives, play a crucial role in the fight against hate and the spread of misinformation—both online and on the streets across the U.S. Even though these protests are legal in the U.S., exposing the motives behind many of the participants is vital.