Washington, DC – On Thursday, August 22, over 300 people gathered at James Monroe Park in downtown DC to support the student intifada. Last semester, students and community members from across the DMV set up an encampment at The George Washington University (GWU), called “Shohada’ Square.” Those involved have been facing charges from the courts, repression from the university, and brutalization by the police.
August 22 marked the first day of classes for the 2024 fall semester at GWU, and student organizers planned a protest to remind administration that they will not back down.
Chicago, IL – More than 11,000 people marched for Palestine on the final evening of the Democratic National Convention, August 22. While Kamala Harris was giving her presidential nominee acceptance speech inside, the protesters outside chanted against the U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza. Delegates inside the convention report hearing demonstrators on the streets inside the convention hall.
Tallahassee, FL – On Sunday, August 18, about 30 community members gathered at the Florida Capitol building to protest Kamala Harris and her policies regarding the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Protesters held signs within sight of the busy intersection in front of the capitol complex stating, “We won’t vote for genocide” and “Arms embargo now!”
Chicago, IL – On August 19, over 20,000 people marched on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention, demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel and an end to the genocide in Gaza. The march was the result of over a year of work by the Coalition to March on the DNC. Marchers came within sight and sound of the Democratic National Convention, putting heat on United States government as it facilitates a genocide.
Hatem Abudayyeh, the national chair of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, told the crowd, “Black liberation, immigrant rights, reproductive rights, women's rights, workers’ rights, the right to strike, the right to unionize. The rank-and-file workers are here, the Black community members are here, the documented and undocumented immigrants are here, how powerful this is to be together here, all of us.”
Chicago, IL – About 17,000 people joined a massive march for Palestine, August 19, the opening day of the Democratic National Convention. Gathering at Union Park protesters marched on the United Center, the site of the DNC, challenging the U.S. backed genocide in Gaza.
Organized by the Coalition to March on the DNC, the protest drew attendees from across the U.S., including buses from Minnesota, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids and Detroit.
New York, NY - On Sunday, August 18, hundreds of New Yorkers gathered to attend Nodutdol’s “No to Nuclear War Games: U.S. Out of Korea” rally. Held in Greeley Square in the Koreatown neighborhood, the event was one of several held across the country over the past week to protest the U.S. and South Korea’s conducting of nuclear war game exercises that rehearse aggressive scenarios, including launching a nuclear strike against North Korea.
Chicago, IL – Tens of thousands of protesters are expected for the Palestine march on opening day of the Democratic National Convention and preparations for the march are in full swing. More than 7000 signs have been printed and banners have been prepared. The Coalition has issued press passes to nearly 1000 journalists, and volunteers have been organized to ensure a successful demonstration.
Chicago, IL – “The City’s Law Department had to drop their unconstitutional denial of a sound system,” said Hatem Abudayyeh, a spokesperson for the Coalition to March on the DNC. “They knew it wouldn’t hold up in court, but they also knew that we have been organizing day and night to line up important supporters in Chicago who helped advocate for us too.”
The U.S. and Israel are carrying out a genocide in Palestine. It needs to end. On August 19, tens of thousands of people will take to the streets of Chicago and insist on exactly that. More than 40,000 Palestinians have already died. We will march from Union Park to the United Center, the site of the Democratic National Convention, demanding that the U.S. stop funding Israel and making it clear: We stand with Palestine.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from the Coalition to March on the DNC.
Emergency national call in day!
The city of Chicago is saying that we cannot have a stage or amplified sound at the national rally and march on the DNC.
Call the Chicago Chief Operating Officer and Demand our right to rally for Palestine at the DNC!
John Roberson 312-744-7736
Script to make calls: “Hi, my name is ___ and I’m calling to demand the city of Chicago reverse its decision to deny us the right to have sound and stage at the March on the DNC. We demand our right to protest for Palestine at the Democratic National Convention!”
New Orleans, LA – On August 13, pro-Palestine activists rallied to protest President Biden as he visited Tulane University. About 50 people came together outside Tulane’s campus, including locals and university students. Many stayed home out of fear of the dozens of local and federal police cars that were watching the area.
Milwaukee, WI – On Wednesday, July 31, political repression reached a new low at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as all five student organizations in the UWM Popular University for Palestine Coalition were suspended for alleged “threatening and antisemitic” remarks on social media. The students responded with a march on August 5.
The Popular University for Palestine Coalition includes the UW-Milwaukee chapters of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Muslim Student Association (MSA), Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Un-PAC and Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA). According to the UWM administration, these student groups were deemed a threat to safety on campus. In reality, however, the only threat they posed is to the U.S. war machine and the pro-Israel status quo.
Chicago, IL – On Monday, August 19, the Democratic National Convention comes to Chicago. The Coalition to March on the DNC, consisting of more than 200 organizations, will bring tens of thousands of protesters to the streets surrounding the United Center.
The front banner in the street will read, “Stand with Palestine! End U.S. aid to Israel!” Because this is mainly a march for Palestine, the Democratic Party powerbrokers are scared.
On Monday, August 12, U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood ruled against the coalition’s lawsuit, which sought a longer march route than the city of Chicago had offered. The coalition argued the need for a longer route because the short one-mile route offered by the city would have most of the marchers still in the park when the front marchers return.
Tampa, FL- On Friday, August 9, SDS held an event near University of South Florida, speaking out against the university’s refusal to disclose their investments and divest from companies involved in Israel’s attacks, and the USF decision to suspend international student Joseph Charry, as well the expulsion of senior Victoria Hinckley, who was a single assignment away from graduating.
After four months since the initial Gaza solidarity encampments, Students from the University of South Florida continue to rally around demands surrounding their university’s response to the student-led protests. Students have faced conduct charges, suspensions and expulsions for their participation in these encampments, as well as formal legal charges that have resulted in jail time.
New Orleans, LA – On August 6, at 9:30 a.m., nearly 100 local activists and community organizations converged onto New Orleans City Hall. They gathered to stand against the New Orleans City Council adopting a “Statement of Peace,” and demanded instead a resolution for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The so-called “Statement of Peace” was sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, an openly Zionist organization. It calls for peace while conveniently omitting Palestine or Palestinians, ignores local victims of Israeli genocidal violence such as Tawfic Abdeljabbar, and implies that local anti-genocide protests are “calls for violence.” After only a few weeks in circulation, the statement has been put forth on the council agenda.
St. Paul, MN – On August 10, hundreds of people gathered outside the Minnesota State Capitol to demand that the State Board of Investment, chaired by Governor Tim Walz, divest public funds from institutions complicit in Israel’s ongoing genocide and apartheid in Palestine.
Denver, CO – On Monday, July 29, the Protest Defense Committee and Denver Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) gathered students and community members outside of the Lindsey-Flanigan courthouse to oppose the ongoing repression resulting from the Auraria Encampment for Palestine.
Rallying in the early morning, before a number of court appearances for people with citations and arrests related to the encampment, the group gathered calling for all charges to be dropped. In total, 80 cases have been filed as a result of the encampment.
Seattle, WA – Over 200 people rallied at Westlake Park in Seattle, August 3, to protest the U.S.-backed Zionist genocide in Palestine. August 3 was the International Day of Action for Gaza and Palestinian Detainees, announced by Palestinian resistance leader Ismail Haniyeh before his assassination.
St. Paul, MN – On Friday, August 2, the Free Palestine Coalition held a rally on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge and marched to Governor Tim Walz’s residence to commemorate 300 days of genocide in Palestine and to demand a permanent ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and a free Palestine from the river to the sea.
