5000 Chicagoans protest Joe Biden over genocide In Palestine
Chicago, IL – When U.S. President Joe Biden arrived at a fundraiser in West Town, Chicago on Thursday afternoon, November 9, he was met by a crowd of 5000 people chanting “Genocide Joe” among other slogans condemning Biden for his role in maintaining U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Protesters demanded a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. support for Israel.
“Joe Biden, you can't hide, we charge you with genocide!” was one of many chants targeting Biden. Speakers at the rally referenced the billions of dollars in financial support for apartheid Israel from the U.S. government, as well as Biden's comments casting doubt on the number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli Occupation Forces.
“Joe Biden knows that, with his approval, our tax dollars have murdered over 10,000 Palestinians!” said Lara Hadadin, a leading member of USPCN and the Arab American Action Network.
The protest was organized by the Coalition for Justice in Palestine, which consists of Palestinian community organizations including the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Students for Justice in Palestine and others.
“60 people from my family have been killed in the recent massacres in Gaza. 40 in one airstrike,” said 13-year-old Palestinian American Salma Elghoul. “They said the old will die and the young will forget. I'm young and I haven't forgotten.”
“I will not forget how our government is donating billions to the deaths of Gazans.” Elghoul continued. “I will not forget how so many politicians, including many here in Illinois, refused to defend the lives of Palestinian children.”
Protesters also targeted Illinois congressional Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Sean Casten, both of whom have had recent protests in their offices to demand that they call for a ceasefire. One of the speakers was Merawi Gerima, a member of the executive committee of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, who was arrested recently for protesting at Jan Schakowsky’s office.
“All the struggles we're involved in are linked to the struggle for Palestinian liberation,” Gerima said.
“Move cops, get out the way, we know you're Israeli trained,” was one chant in reference to how the Chicago Police Department, like many police departments in the U.S., receives training from the Israeli Occupation Forces.
“Israel has a long history of arming and training police and military forces in Latin America, including Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and the list goes on,” said an organizer with Organized Communities Against Deportation.
“Their greatest weapon against us is division,” Gerima explained about imperialists. “What is our greatest weapon against them? Why are we winning? The answer is solidarity!”
Chants escalated when Biden exited the fundraiser, then ended with “We are the revolution” and “I believe that we will win!”