Three founding members of Women's March leave council after allegations of anti-Semitism

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The March of Women announced Monday that Tamika Mallory, Bob Bland and Linda Sarsour will leave the board and focus on other advocacy projects. The leaders of the group have been criticized for their association with the leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan.

The Nation of Islam is a hate group designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Farrakhan is known for his hyperbolic hate speech targeting the Jewish community.

"The organization has not cut ties with the three outgoing board members, their mandates are over," the CNN Women's Walk said, adding that Mallory, Sarsour and Bland had "played a role". determining "in the achievements of the group.

"The members of our incoming board represent a truly diverse group of women who have fought and will continue to fight relentlessly for the equal rights of women," the statement added.

The group has issued numerous statements condemning antisemitism and wishing to learn from its mistakes through training and discussion.

The organization has announced the appointment of 17 new "leaders of various movements" to the board, including Samia Assed, Zahra Billoo, Charlene Carruthers, Mrinalini Chakraborty, Rabbi Tamara Cohen, Reverend T. Sheri Dickerson, Sarah Eagle Heart , Lucy Flores and Ginny Goldman. Ginna Green, Shawna Knipper, Isa Noyola, Carmen Perez-Jordan, Kelley Robinson, Sen Rinku, Leslie Templeton and Lu-Shawn Thompson.

The Washington Post first reported leadership changes. CNN has contacted Mallory, Bland and Sarsour for comments.
The Women's March drew millions of people to the streets the day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump for what was announced as the largest demonstration of a day in the history of the states. -United. The group has staged other protests, including against Trump's immigration policies and the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court after allegations of sexual assault, which he denied , have been revealed.

The management reform comes before an election year and weeks before the group organizes an event scheduled for October "to protest against Brett Kavanaugh and his work to overthrow Roe v. Wade".

Mallory and Carmen Perez, board member of the March of Women, each posted photos on Instagram with Farrakhan and praised the leader of the Nation of Islam. Sarsour spoke at a rally hosted by Farrakhan in 2015.

Perez will remain on the board of directors, according to the March of Women.

In February 2018, Mallory was criticized for attending a major event in which Farrakhan delivered a speech with antisemitic rhetoric, in which "the mighty Jews are my enemy".

The March of Women issued a statement distancing itself from Farrakhan and condemning "expressions of hate in all its forms", but Mallory did not denounce Farrakhan.

Later that year, Teresa Shook, founder of the initial Women's March, called Bland, Mallory, Sarsour and Perez to retire for apparently allowing bigotry to participate in their mission.
Vanessa Wruble, a former member of the organization, told the New York Times in December 2018 that her Jewish heritage had played a role in her elimination from it. Mallory and Perez told the Times that when they asked Wruble to leave the group, it had nothing to do with his Jewish situation.

The Democratic Party and Emily's List have stood out as sponsors before the third annual women's walk to be held earlier this year.

Bland was criticized earlier this year for sharing a message on Facebook that linked the rhetoric of the "American Jewish Establishment" with a March shooting in a mosque in New Zealand in which 51 people were killed. killed. The Jerusalem Post reported that Bland had apologized later and that this message had been removed from his Facebook page.

This story has been updated.

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