Maple Grove, MN – As Gazans exit 2023 under siege, suffering from grief, starvation and ongoing bombings by the Israeli occupation forces, 1000 people demonstrated at the Arbor Lakes Mall in Maple Grove on New Years Eve. The protest was organized by the Free Palestine Coalition to disrupt “New Year as usual” in an effort to galvanize further action in support of their resolution for 2024: freedom from genocide and Israeli occupation in Palestine.

The death toll from the Israeli apartheid government’s genocidal campaign in Gaza is now higher than 21,000 people. The Biden administration continues to fund Israel’s aggression while simultaneously blocking and voting against any ceasefire measures at the United Nations.

After a rally outside the shopping area protesters marched through the outdoor mall with chants of “While you’re shopping, bombs are dropping!” and “Free free Palestine!”

Samantha Alsadi, a member of the MN Anti-War Committee, attended the protest, “It felt pretty powerful to be in such a large group and chant “While you're shopping, bombs are dropping” as we marched through the shopping center today. The people shopping at Arbor Lakes Mall had no choice but to see and hear us and hopefully think twice about the genocide that our country is funding. I think we sent a clear message today – there will be no business as usual until Palestine is free, from the river to the sea.”

The protest was organized by the Free Palestine Coalition and will be followed by a week of action. The week of action was initiated by U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Students for a Democratic Society, and the National Alliance Against Political and Racist Repression. For more information about the actions go to USPCN.org/weekofaction24.

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