Milwaukee marches in solidarity with Palestine after Israel violates ceasefire
Milwaukee, WI – On Monday, October 20, 100 people gathered in Milwaukee for an emergency march led by the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC), protesting Israel’s violations of the recently announced ceasefire. Demands included ending all U.S aid to Israel as well as a real and permanent ceasefire, chanting “No more bombs! No more lies.”
The event comes as Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreed upon on October 10. Nearly 100 Palestinians have been murdered by the Israeli military since, with the number increasing daily. Bombs continue to drop, aid continues to be denied, and Israel continues its aggression. This follows an extensive history since the genocide began of Israel openly violating agreed-to ceasefires, as the total number of Palestinian deaths nears 70,000.
The event, held at Cathedral Square Park in downtown Milwaukee, opened with remarks from emcee James Oldenburg, “It’s not a ceasefire if you keep bombing kids. It’s not a ceasefire if you keep bombing the journalists who expose that.”
After emcee remarks, the program started with speeches at the park before departing on a march through downtown to City Hall. After several speeches at City Hall, the protesters marched back to the park.
As they were marching, many cars honked and people shouted in support. The protesters chanted, “End the occupation now!” “No borders, no walls!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”
During the ceasefire negotiations, the Trump administration attempted to take credit and position themselves as peacemakers. Hayley Thomson of MAC, speaking at City Hall, refuted this narrative stating, “Trump wants you to see the word ‘ceasefire’ and think of him as a liberator. The truth is Trump does not care about peace, and he does not care about Palestinians. But the people do!”
Palestinian resistance during the genocide has inspired people around the globe, and the truth of apartheid Israel has never been clearer. Yet even with a ceasefire, the speakers reiterated that this does not mean that people living in the belly of the beast should slow down.
Said Farouq Abukhamireh of US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), “Our job has not finished. We still have work to do.”
Alan Chavoya, speaking for Freedom Road Socialist Organization stressed, “We must continue to put Palestine front and center. This is the global issue of our lifetimes.”
The ceasefire was won by the steadfast efforts of the Palestinian resistance. But ceasefire or no ceasefire, it is clear that the work towards true liberation continues. Milwaukee is standing up and demanding a free Palestine, from the river to the sea.