Remembering That Time The Old Dutchess Mall Was Marked "Free Palestine"

On December 17, 2023, just 3 months into the genocide carried out by Israel on Palestine which is financially and legislatively supported by the United States, but not condemned by most local politicians who watch the tax dollars get spent on mass murder for maintaining imperialism, under the guise of “safety” and a “war on terror,” the Old Dutchess Mall was tagged with the message “Free Palestine” almost a year ago.

The Old Dutchess Mall is next to Home Depot in Fishkill on US-9. Once a retail destination, is remains a dilapidated, neglected building surrounded by trash and flooding from its parking lot. However, the “Free Palestine” message was cleaned within days of its marking. It is a wonder why the property owners are allowed to keep it in this unmaintained condition.

In terms of development, The Old Dutchess Mall has a long history of “almosts,” which you can read about here. Among other things, it almost became a women’s prison as part of a “Dead Malls” competition, according to Wikipedia. While it is deserted, someone or someones appeared quickly to make the “Free Palestine” disappear.