Fort Lauderdale Venue Cancels Tlaib Rally Over Security Concerns, Event Relocated to Outdoor Site

A Fort Lauderdale venue backed out of hosting a political rally featuring Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., just one day before the event was scheduled to take place. The Jewish-owned facility cited heightened security concerns as the reason for withdrawing from the arrangement, forcing organizers to find an alternative location four days ahead of Florida’s primary election.

The “Chomp the Oligarchy” rally was designed to mobilize support for three progressive Democratic candidates: U.S. House hopefuls Elijah Manley and Oliver Larkin, along with state Rep. Angie Nixon, who is competing for the Democratic Senate nomination. Tlaib, a vocal Israel critic and the first Palestinian American woman in Congress, was scheduled as the main speaker for the Friday evening event at The Venue in Fort Lauderdale.

State Rep. Michael Gottlieb, a Democrat, posted Thursday morning denouncing the rally as “anti-Jew” and accusing the three candidates of forming an “Anti-Israel and Anti-Zionism coalition.” Gottlieb further asserted that Tlaib possessed “by far the deepest record of antisemitic allegations” and was being brought to help the candidates fundraise.

The Venue released a statement Thursday night confirming the cancellation without naming Tlaib directly. Management stated they canceled after reviewing promotional materials and understanding the “full scope” of the event. “Due to the increased security concerns as well as the welfare of attendees and staff, the decision was then made that the event would not proceed at our property,” the statement read, emphasizing the facility’s Jewish ownership and values.

Prior to the public cancellation, The Venue had requested that Gottlieb remove his post, which he refused to do, according to The New York Times. Rally organizers revealed that The Venue had proposed hosting the event only if Tlaib was uninvited—a condition the organizers rejected.

Manley, endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, faces incumbent Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. Larkin, a self-identified DSA member, is challenging Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla. Nixon is running against Alexander Vindman, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who testified during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment inquiry.

Rally organizers announced on Instagram they would “not be silenced by racist right-wing agitators and conservative Democrats,” vowing to continue supporting working-class Floridians. The event ultimately proceeded at an outdoor alternate location with approximately 300 attendees present.

Larkin addressed the controversy during his remarks at the relocated rally, characterizing the previous day’s efforts as “a mobilization campaign to try to intimidate and harass us with a campaign of Islamophobia.” He connected the pressure to opposition against AIPAC’s influence in elections, drawing boos from supporters.

Tlaib appeared as planned, introducing Nixon before the state representative delivered her remarks. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital that Tlaib’s participation in an event supporting candidates seeking to unseat Jewish Democrats was conspicuous timing.

Tlaib has faced criticism across party lines regarding her statements about Israel and Jewish people, though she has consistently denied accusations of antisemitism. Congress censured her in 2023 over her use of the phrase “from the river to the sea,” which she describes as an “aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence” for Palestinians—a characterization many Jewish communities reject.