Milwaukee. WI – About 50 students from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee rallied in solidarity with Palestine, Oct. 28. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the rally in response to the increase in violence by Israeli occupation forces in which over 50 Palestinians have been killed just this month.

Speakers from a variety of groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine, Youth Empowered in the Struggle, and the Milwaukee Anti-War Committee highlighted the atrocities Israel has been committing and showed their support with the people of Palestine.

Aside from the striking number of extra-judicial killings that have occurred this month, there have been increased obstacles for Palestinian education.

“Since Oct. 21, 17 checkpoints, 20 cement blocks and one earth mound have been installed to isolate Palestinian neighborhoods,” Breanna Eisner from SDS said to the crowd. “As this use of force has continued, the access of education for Palestinians has been difficult. The resistance to the occupation is led by Palestinian youth and students. As Students for a Democratic Society we are against war and the oppression of state-sanctioned violence. We believe that access to education should not be infringed upon and we stand in solidarity with Palestine and its resistance to this occupation.”

Tracey Pollock from the Anti War Committee-Milwaukee said, “We know all too well the role the U.S. government plays in this, providing over $3 billion a year to the apartheid government of Israel. Helping to fund expansion of settlements, the apartheid wall and policies that include not allowing Palestinians to drive on the same streets or take the same buses as settlers in the occupied territories.”

“The U.S. government is also actively working to suppress any solidarity movement within the U.S., particularly with the amazing work that groups like Students for Justice in Palestine are doing on college campuses across the nation with the Boycott Divestment and Sanction movement, or repressing internationally recognized freedom fighters like Rasmea Odeh,” she concluded.

Students then marched through the university's student union chanting “Israel, Israel what do you say, how many kids have you killed today?” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” A small group of Zionist counter-protesters followed and shouted, “Free Gaza from Hamas!” while the pro-Palestine crowd responded with, “Free Gaza from Israel!”

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