Washington, D.C. – On Saturday, April 5, thousands of people from across the U.S. gathered in the nation’s capital for the National March for Palestine. The demonstration was called to protest the resumed bombings in Gaza, detainment of student activist Mahmoud Khalil, and demonstrate the overwhelming support of the people for an arms embargo on the Zionist entity.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
The Execution of Paramedics in Rafah is a Documented War Crime that Exposes the Brutality of the Occupation and Reveals U.S. Complicity and Global Silence
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine holds the U.S. administration and the international community, including all its human rights, humanitarian, and medical institutions, fully responsible for the documented execution crime captured in a video filmed by one of the martyrs. The footage reveals the deliberate targeting by the occupation of paramedics and civil defense teams in Rafah.
Milwaukee, WI – On Saturday, March 29, 30 vehicles took to the streets in a car caravan to commemorate Land Day. Land Day, held on March 30 every year, recognizes the day in 1976 when Palestinians took to the streets to protest Israel’s theft of their land. Six Palestinians were killed and over 100 injured by Israeli forces.
Denver, CO – On March 29, in honor of Land Day, between 80 and 100 pro-Palestine protesters gathered at the Denver Tech Center Monument, a location within eyesight of the RE/MAX Headquarters. RE/MAX is infamous for advertising and selling property in occupied Palestine, thus enabling Israel’s apartheid and theft of land in the West Bank.
RE/MAX claims to operate in about 100 countries worldwide. The United Nations says it is responsible for how its Israeli franchises sell houses and apartments in the occupied West Bank. Despite the backlash and controversy, RE/MAX has shamefully maintained its business in occupied Palestine. Advocates of a liberated Palestine are calling for an end to this, recognizing Land Day as a chance to draw attention to the theft of land.
Tampa, FL – On Monday, March 31, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was joined by community members and fellow students to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, Leqaa Kordia, and every other student protester detained by ICE. Additional demands included an end to Trump’s attacks on students and an end to U.S. aid to Israel.
Fort Worth, Texas – On March 29, a small rally of pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the entrance of Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth Location, the site of CYBERQUEST, Lockheed’s annual programming competition held for students.
Tallahassee, FL – On Thursday, March 27, Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) came together with community members to demand the release of political prisoners. This comes in the light of growing arrests and threatened deportations of pro-Palestine activists including Mahmoud Khalil and Leqaa Kordia.
Minneapolis, MN – About 300 community members rallied in Powderhorn Park before marching through the cold in solidarity with Palestine. The event was called by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee to commemorate Land Day, a day of remembrance of six unarmed Palestinian martyrs killed and over 100 injured while resisting Israel’s brutal confiscation and annexation of land in 1976.
Jacksonville, FL – On March 27, Jacksonville Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied dozens of students to protest a speaking event which brought two Israeli occupation forces (IOF) troops to the University of North Florida. The soldiers were on campus to justify their war crimes in Gaza during the first wave of the accelerated genocide. The Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network (JPSN) co-sponsored the protest, and several other student and community organizations were in attendance.
Seattle, WA – A dozen-plus anti-war activists rallied and picketed outside U.S. Congressional Representative Adam Smith’s office in Kent on the morning of March 26 to protest his continued support of Israel’s genocidal war in Palestine. The event was organized by Seattle Against War (SAW) as part of the week of action called by the national Anti-War Action Network to honor Land Day, a Palestinian day that marks the ongoing seizure of Arab-owned lands by Israel.
San Jose, CA – On Wednesday, March 26, at noon, around 60 students gathered by the San Jose State University Student Union for a speakout for Mahmoud Khalil and other victims of ICE detainments. The program of the action put forward demands on San Jose State administration and SJSU President Cynthia Teniente Matison for increased protection against ICE, especially for mixed status and undocumented students as well as activists.
Grand Rapids, MI – In the wake of over 400 Palestinians being killed by Israel’s repeated violation of the January ceasefire agreement, on March 19 nearly 100 community members rallied at the corner of Rosa Parks Circle in solidarity with Palestine. After chants condemning the actions of both Israel and the United States, the group took to a march towards the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building.
New Orleans, LA – On March 21, the morning of Mahmoud Khalil’s court hearing, community organizations gathered outside of the Federal Court of Appeals in New Orleans to protest his detainment. Their demands were simple – release Mahmoud Khalil, reinstate his green card, and cease all illegal detainments.
Jacksonville, FL – On Saturday, March 22, over 200 community members gathered to protest the genocide carried out by Israel after it violated the ceasefire on March 18. Community members protested in the town center, on one of Jacksonville’s busiest streets, to demand an end to U.S. aid to Israel and call for the Jacksonville Port Authority to end its contracts with two shipping companies, Maersk and ZIM.
St. Paul, MN – On Friday, March 21, the otherwise obscure Minnesota Retirement Systems building was guarded by dozens of state troopers who blocked entrances to the parking lot. More troopers manned the building entrance, screening bags and limiting entry to only a few dozen members of the public. Inside the small conference room where the State Board of Investment (SBI)’s quarterly meeting was to be held, more troopers along with plainclothes security lined the entire perimeter.
Chicago, IL – On Friday morning, March 21, over 50 protesters gathered outside the Illinois State Board of Investments (ISBI) office in downtown Chicago. They came to demand that ISBI and Vice Chair Michael Frerichs, who currently sits as the Illinois state treasurer, divest from Israeli genocide, apartheid and occupation.
Richardson, TX – On March 18, community members gathered to protest in front of the Raytheon company’s building in response to Raytheon’s complicity in the Israeli genocide in Palestine. The Dallas chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement called the emergency protest after Israel broke the recent ceasefire agreement and continued bombing the Gaza strip.
Raytheon, second to Lockheed Martin, is one of the world largest weapons manufacturers, and has been targeted by anti-war activists in north Texas. Aside from Raytheon, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex has seen protests and actions against local Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics plants.
Denver, CO – On Wednesday, March 19, hundreds of Coloradans rallied on the Auraria Campus in Denver to protest Trump’s attacks on free speech and the politically motivated detainment of activists.
Allendale, MI — On Saturday, March 15, Grand Valley State University students and community members took part in a demonstration protesting the illegal ICE abductions of Mahmoud Khalil and Leqaa Kordia. They also demanded that Grand Valley take action to protect its student body from the increased repression of the Trump administration.
Jacksonville, FL – After hearing about the abduction of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate from Columbia University who was a legal permanent resident, organizations in Jacksonville sprung to action. The Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, the Jacksonville Immigrants’ Rights Alliance, and the Jacksonville chapter of Students for a Democratic Society coalesced forces to rally on the morning of Saturday, March 15, with chants of “Free Mahmoud Khalil!” echoing through Jacksonville’s downtown.