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Miami Herald
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Rosen Gonzalez files to run for Miami Beach mayor, seeking to unseat Meiner
Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, a Miami Beach commissioner with a decade of firebrand political activism in the city, is running for mayor. On Wednesday afternoon, Rosen Gonzalez filed paperwork at City Hall to enter the November mayoral race, hoping to unseat Mayor Steven Meiner, who has not yet filed but is expected to seek reelection after his first two-year term. Rosen Gonzalez, 51, is term-limited as a commissioner later this year after eight years on the dais across two non-continuous terms. 'I've always been the people's commissioner, and now it's time for me to be the people's mayor,' Rosen Gonzalez told the Miami Herald in an interview Wednesday morning. 'I've always put the community first, and I feel like I'm prepared to do an excellent job.' One other candidate, political newcomer Victor J. Rosario, has filed to run for mayor. Five candidates — Daniel Ciraldo, Brian Ehrlich, Monroe Mann, Luidgi Mary and Monica Matteo-Salinas — have filed to run for Rosen Gonzalez's current seat, which Rosen Gonzalez will occupy until November. Commissioner Laura Dominguez will seek reelection, though she is not yet facing any opponents. Candidates have until September to qualify for each of the races. In challenging Meiner, Rosen Gonzalez, a tenured faculty member in the English and Communications department at Miami Dade College, will pitch herself as a resident-focused candidate with a track record of fighting for constituents. 'I've been standing up for the community forever,' Rosen Gonzalez said, pointing to battles she has waged over the future of Allison Park, plans to lease city-owned parking lots near Lincoln Road and an effort to preserve the South Shore Community Center. The mayor's seat in Miami Beach is nonpartisan, and Rosen Gonzalez said she hopes to leave partisan politics out of her campaign. But voters often look at political leanings to try to distinguish between local candidates. Meiner, who is registered as non-party affiliated, ran on a tough-on-crime platform and has similarly focused on addressing residents' concerns as he and other Miami Beach officials aim to change the city's reputation as a hard-partying destination for young people. He has won favor with residents by helping to shut down spring break in South Beach. He has also sparked controversy with actions viewed by critics as limiting free speech, such as a crackdown on protests and a recent attempt to terminate the lease of O Cinema for screening a documentary about the West Bank. Rosen Gonzalez, a registered Democrat, has been largely aligned with Meiner, including in defending draconian measures to curb spring break, arrests of the homeless for sleeping outdoors and support for the state of Israel. But Rosen Gonzalez has also sought to highlight their differences. Last month, she opposed Meiner's proposal to evict O Cinema as she cited the importance of free speech. On Wednesday, she said she has a vision to prop up the tourist industry that has made the city flourish, something she said is necessary to ensure the city's financial success and meet its enormous resiliency needs. In addition to law enforcement measures, Rosen Gonzalez said the city should leverage marketing campaigns — as it has during spring break — to move the city forward. At the same time, as state lawmakers look to strip protections for Miami Beach's historic districts, Rosen Gonzalez said the city needs to convey to developers that 'preservation is solid economic policy' and 'has created the value for their properties.' While she opposes 'tall buildings in the center of Miami Beach,' Rosen Gonzalez said she will support certain projects that she feels offer substantial benefits to the city. At last week's commission meeting, Rosen Gonzalez supported a new proposal to rezone the Deauville Hotel site, touting the developers' willingness to provide benefits like public beach access and funding for housing and a park. She had opposed an earlier proposal for the site in 2022. 'I do think that my advocacy work all these years and pushing back on these developers has resulted in better negotiations and development deals for the city of Miami Beach,' she said. Part of Rosen Gonzalez's task will be convincing voters she has the poise and demeanor needed to be mayor. Rosen Gonzalez has been a polarizing figure in Miami Beach politics, sparring with colleagues from the dais and at times making inflammatory remarks about her foes. 'I think when you stand for residents and you take difficult positions, you're always going to have adversity,' she said, adding that residents often tell her: 'I don't always agree with you, but I respect you.' Rosen Gonzalez's first four-year term on the City Commission, starting in 2015, was marred by controversy, including five ethics complaints. Despite being cleared in each case and chalking up the allegations to political gamesmanship, Rosen Gonzalez said she had learned from the experience. After an unsuccessful run for U.S. Congress in 2018, she ran for another Miami Beach commission term the following year and dubbed herself 'Kristen 2.0.' But Meiner, a former attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, foiled Rosen Gonzalez's initial bid for a second term. After winning in a recount by just two votes to advance to a runoff, Meiner defeated Rosen Gonzalez in a political upset that some observers saw as a rejection of Rosen Gonzalez's approach. Rosen Gonzalez ultimately returned to the City Commission in 2021, again using the 'Kristen 2.0' moniker to assure voters that she would focus on policy and not political theatrics. She won despite falsely claiming to be Hispanic in an interview on the campaign trail, remarks for which she apologized. In her second term, Rosen Gonzalez positioned herself as a foil to former Mayor Dan Gelber, rallying voters to reject referendums on the Deauville and Lincoln Road projects that Gelber backed. Her over-the-top style remained; she apologized in October 2022 for a social media post comparing Gelber to Russian President Vladimir Putin. On several occasions in 2023, Gelber temporarily recessed commission meetings as Rosen Gonzalez traded barbs with fellow officials. More recently, Rosen Gonzalez has clashed at meetings and on social media with fellow Commissioner David Suarez. The pair appeared to be allies in the early days of Suarez's term, which began in November 2023, as Rosen Gonzalez dubbed a new crop of elected officials the 'kumbaya commission.' But those days are over. In an email to residents last week, Suarez denounced Rosen Gonzalez for holding up an adult toy at a recent commission meeting, where she advocated for the city to green-light a beauty and skincare store on Lincoln Road at which 'feminine wellness products,' including some sex toys, would be sold. Rosen Gonzalez said in her own email to residents that Suarez was spreading misinformation by referring to the store as a 'sex shop.' In community Facebook groups, where Suarez and anonymous accounts have targeted Rosen Gonzalez with a barrage of criticism, Rosen Gonzalez has defended herself in repeated posts calling for 'love and unity.' 'To the anonymous people behind bots who spread hate and division, I love you,' she wrote on Facebook. 'Come to my office. Come and I will welcome you with love.'
Axios
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Miami Beach strengthens Israeli ties but defers O Cinema vote
Miami Beach further strengthened its support for Israel in a series of votes Wednesday but didn't take up a proposal to influence programming at a local theater targeted for showing a documentary about the Gaza conflict. Why it matters: The City Commission's moves show how intent it is to demonstrate its loyalty to Israel after a scrapped proposal to evict O Cinema drew national attention. Driving the news: Commissioners directed the city to maximize investments in Israeli bonds and work on attracting Israeli and Jewish-owned businesses to Miami Beach. The commission deferred a resolution encouraging O Cinema to screen films that show a "fair and balanced" viewpoint of the war in Gaza. Friction point: During a tense meeting Wednesday, more than a dozen residents spoke up against the package of Israeli-related proposals. At one point, Mayor Steven Meiner directed police to escort an audience member out of the commission chambers. Later, he interrupted a speaker during the allotted two-minute comment period and refused to give the resident additional time. What they're saying: Miami Beach resident Alex Mayka said the city has "real problems" to deal with, like flooding and housing scarcity, and shouldn't spend time focusing on supporting an "apartheid nation." "These resolutions don't help people who actually live here." He criticized the city targeting O Cinema, the South Beach theater with a lease on city-owned property. "This city government has absolutely no place in telling artists what kind of stories they can or can't tell." The other side: Meiner, a strong ally of Israel, responded to almost every anti-Israel comment during time reserved for public speakers, labeling some remarks as "hate speech" and antisemitism. "I give the respect to the people who speak, but I'm gonna counter hate speech when it comes this way," Meiner said. Commissioner Joseph Magazine, who sponsored the resolution attracting Israeli businesses, said it was "sickening" that someone could oppose recruiting Jewish business owners. Magazine called Miami Beach a safe haven for the city's "Israeli and Jewish brothers and sisters." "Part of being a safe haven is speaking proudly about an initiative like this." Catch up quick: Meiner previously proposed evicting O Cinema and withdrawing its grant funding after it screened "No Other Land," the Oscar-winning documentary about the Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank prior to the war. Meiner called the film a "one-sided propaganda attack" on the Jewish people. O Cinema and the ACLU of Florida argued Meiner's effort amounted to government overreach and violated the theater's First Amendment rights. Meiner later withdrew his eviction proposal after opposition from the Commission and public. A second Meiner proposal, which wasn't heard Wednesday, criticizes "No Other Land" as an "incomplete portrayal" of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and encourages O Cinema to "prioritize films that present the suffering and moral position of the Jewish people and the state of Israel." The intrigue: It's unclear why Meiner never brought the item for a vote.
Axios
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
O Cinema dodged eviction, but resolution renews censorship fears
Miami Beach commissioners on Wednesday are expected to discuss a measure aimed at influencing programming at indie theater O Cinema. The big picture: The discussion comes a little more than one month after the theater survived eviction over its decision to screen "No Other Land." The Oscar-winning film documents the Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank for military training grounds, before the current conflict in Gaza. The resolution, proposed by Mayor Steven Meiner, calls for the theater to program films that "highlight a fair and balanced viewpoint" of the Israel-Hamas war and to ensure the "viewpoint of Jewish people and the state of Israel is fully and accurately presented." Why it matters: Critics argue the move undermines the theater's freedom of expression and causes a chilling effect on it and other art spaces. Between the lines: The commission has previously been accused of silencing pro-Palestinian voices, including barring protesters from obstructing streets or sidewalks in response to demonstrations in the city. Catch up quick: Last month, Meiner's attempt to evict the cinema — which operates in a city-owned facility — and pull about $40,000 in city grants sparked international outrage. Supporters of O Cinema packed a commission meeting, calling the proposals an attempt to control the theater and a violation of free speech. Commissioners who disagreed with Meiner shared his concerns about the dangers of antisemitism but said the government should not direct content decisions. What they're saying:"The community has made it overwhelmingly clear that they do not want government influence in the types of films O Cinema shows," said Kareem Tabsch, the cinema's co-founder, in a statement to Axios. The proposal "poses real concerns of government overreach into the independence of cultural organizations like O Cinema," he said. Daniel Tilley, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, said even after Meiner backed off the eviction threat, the "bell cannot be unrung." Though the current resolution seeks to "encourage, not dictate" programming decisions, "the chill to O Cinema and other cultural institutions who dare to display or express disfavored viewpoints remains." The other side: Meiner did not respond to Axios' request for comment Tuesday, but he previously called the film a "one-sided propaganda attack" on the Jewish people.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘No Other Land' Co-Director Says U.S. Academy ‘Refused' to Issue Statement in Support of Hamdan Ballal: They Were ‘Silent When a Filmmaker They Honored Needed Them the Most'
'No Other Land' filmmaker Yuval Abraham has criticized AMPAS for not commenting on the situation surrounding his Oscar-winning fellow co-director Hamdan Ballal. Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning Israel-Palestine documentary 'No Other Land,' was released by Israel authorities on Tuesday. More from Variety 'No Other Land' Co-Director Hamdan Ballal Freed, Yuval Abraham Says 'No Other Land' Co-Director Hamdan Ballal Beaten and Attacked, Says Yuval Abraham: 'No Sign of Him Since' Miami Beach Mayor Drops Plan to Evict O Cinema After 'No Other Land' Controversy On Wednesday, Abraham posted on X: 'Sadly, the U.S. Academy, which awarded us an Oscar three weeks ago, declined to publicly support Hamdan Ballal while he was beaten and tortured by Israeli soldiers and settlers. The European Academy voiced support, as did countless other award groups and festivals. Several U.S. Academy members — especially in the documentary branch — pushed for a statement, but it was ultimately refused. We were told that because other Palestinians were beaten up in the settler attack, it could be considered unrelated to the film, so they felt no need to respond. In other words, while Hamdan was clearly targeted for making 'No Other Land' (he recalled soldiers joking about the Oscar as they tortured him), he was also targeted for being Palestinian — like countless others every day who are disregarded. This, it seems, gave the Academy an excuse to remain silent when a filmmaker they honored, living under Israeli occupation, needed them the most. It's not too late to change this stance. Even now, issuing a statement condemning the attack on Hamdan and the Masafer Yatta community would send a meaningful message and serve as a deterrent for the future.' Matters kicked off on Monday when Ballal reportedly missing after being attacked, according to a series of posts on X from Abraham. 'A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal, co-director of our film 'No Other Land,'' Abraham posted on X Monday. 'They beat him and he has injuries in his head and stomach, bleeding. Soldiers invaded the ambulance he called, and took him. No sign of him since.' The Associated Press reported that activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence saw Ballal get beat up by Israeli settlers on the scene, describing how: 'A group of 10-20 masked settlers attacked him and other Jewish activists with stones and sticks, and smashed their car windows and slashed their tires.' On Tuesday, a group of global filmmakers including Alex Gibney and Christine Vachon signed a petition for Ballal's release, saying that 'Ballal was forcibly removed by the Israeli army from an ambulance following a brutal attack by settlers, and subsequently detained without clear information regarding his whereabouts.' As the petition was gathering steam with more than 4,500 signatures, Abraham posted on X that Ballal had been freed. 'After being handcuffed all night and beaten in a military base, Hamdan Ballal is now free and is about to go home to his family,' Abraham posted on X on Tuesday. Made as an Israeli-Palestinian collective, 'No Other Land' follows a Palestinian family living in the West Bank as their home gets destroyed by the Israeli government and they face displacement. But amidst the dire conditions, Adra and Abraham, an Israeli journalist, form an unexpected friendship and work together to document the story. The film first premiered at last year's Berlin Film Festival, where it earned top documentary jury and audience prizes. The documentary continued to earn critical acclaim attention on the fall festival circuit, where it played at the Toronto, Vancouver and New York film festivals. Despite this, the film still doesn't have a U.S. distributor, leading the filmmakers to self-release the film in New York City on Jan. 31 and Los Angeles on Feb. 7. Best of Variety The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, 'Wicked: For Good' and More
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘No Other Land' Co-Director Hamdan Ballal Freed After Being Attacked, Detained in West Bank
'No Other Land' co-director Hamdan Ballal is now free after being attacked and detained in West Bank, according to his fellow director Yuval Abraham. 'After being handcuffed all night and beaten in a military base, Hamdan Ballal is now free and is about to go home to his family,' Abraham wrote on X early Tuesday morning. On Monday, witnesses said on social media that a stone-throwing fight broke out between Israeli settlers and Palestinians after an Israeli shepherd was attacked by Palestinians, Hebrew-language daily newspaper Israel Hayom reported. The Palestinian filmmaker was arrested alongside two other Palestinians in connection to the fight. 'After the assault, Hamdan was handcuffed and blindfolded all night in an army base while two soldiers beat him up on the floor, his lawyer Leah Tsemel said after speaking with him just now,' Abraham shared earlier on Tuesday. 'He's still held in the Kiryat Arba police station.' The latest update comes a day after he first announced Ballal's detainment. 'A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal, co director of our film no other land. They beat him and he has injuries in his head and stomach, bleeding. Soldiers invaded the ambulance he called, and took him. No sign of him since.' Abraham later clarified his initial statement, adding, 'Note: Hamdan was assaulted and beaten up, not murdered. My use of 'lynched' was a mistranslation from Hebrew (English isn't my first language). He's injured and being held at a police station in a settlement. They did not let his lawyer speak to him yet so we don't know more.' 'No Other Land' from Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Ballal and Abraham won Best Documentary Feature Film at the 2025 Oscars. It chronicles the displacement of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta by Israeli military and settlers after a court ruling declared the area a 'closed military zone.' The movie was also recently in the news after a Miami Beach mayor, who is Jewish, tried to get O Cinema screenings of the doc pulled and the theater in question evicted. He has since dropped those plans. The post 'No Other Land' Co-Director Hamdan Ballal Freed After Being Attacked, Detained in West Bank appeared first on TheWrap.
