Jacksonville, FL – On Saturday, October 5, around 150 protesters congregated outside of Jacksonville’s port authority (Jaxport), as part of the Palestinian Youth Movement’s International Day of Action, to demand that the port cut all ties with Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping and logistics companies. Jaxport has had a contract with the shipping behemoth since 2015.

“The people of Gaza have been bombarded by U.S.-made weapons, [made from] weapons components that are transported into these ports that we stand in front of today – and to that we say ‘shame,’” declared Sara from The Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network in the opening talk.

“Like many other corporations, Maersk feeds off the endless budget of U.S. imperialism,” emphasized a speaker from Freedom Road Socialist Organization, “the U.S. empire spans across the globe and has long relied on domination in the Middle East, with Israel as its gateway for foreign investment, resource control and oppression. Israel also seeks their own empire and it’s our money, our tax dollars, being used to fund this violence – let us be very clear that they cannot sustain their empire without us.”

Early into the protest, rain descended on the crowd, but, despite the onslaught, the ralliers prevailed.

“Victory goes not to those who inflict the most but those who can endure the most,” a member of the Teamsters called to the drenched protesters, “The demands of the Palestinian trade union movement are not ambiguous, it’s not that we don’t know what they want – they want an end to these arms shipments.”

The sentiments of many of the speakers, that we cannot let this constant flow of death continue, were echoed in the fearful response from Jaxport. It had police blockade the entrance before the event even began, with squadrons waiting out of sight behind it.

Maersk has transported over $300 million in weapons components on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense. Divestment from Maersk would be a direct blow on the supply chain that fuels the genocide of Palestinians.

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