MN protests for Palestine on October 7, ahead of major march planned for Saturday
Minneapolis, MN – To mark the third year since Israel initiated the Gaza genocide on October 7, 2023, organizers in the Twin Cities organized many protests to emphasize that, despite the alleged ceasefire and so-called “Gaza peace plan” announced in October 2025, daily massacres by Israeli forces continue.
The October 7 actions come ahead of a major protest march planned for Saturday, October 10 in downtown Minneapolis, planned by a large coalition of Palestine solidarity groups, under the banner of “Three years of genocide; three years of resistance.”
According to health officials, Israeli attacks have killed over 1100 Palestinians in Gaza over the last year, with the total confirmed killed since October 2023 reaching over 74,000.
The day started with a lunchtime protest at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in front of the student union, organized by campus chapters of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Students for Justice in Palestine, Educators for Justice in Palestine (EJP), and Young Democratic Socialists of America.
Emil Chu of SDS spoke to the crowd of over 100 students, saying, “October 7 ripped open the belly of the beast and gave people a look at the hypocrisy and injustice that was the lifeblood of this country. It awakened a great consciousness in many people for the first time that our country cares more about profiting off of a genocide than the well-being of its citizens.”
Chu continued, “When I first started organizing for Palestine, I was compelled to action by our country’s active participation in the greatest moral injustice of the 21st century. I was aghast that anyone could sit on the sidelines while a genocide was so obviously being perpetrated. Three years in, I’ve been arrested several times, gone to jail, lost job opportunities, and sacrificed personal relationships for Palestine, and I would do it all over again if I could, because I am moved, more than anything, by the spirit of the Palestinian people’s resilience in the face of immeasurable cruelty.”
Later that day, Women Against Military Madness dedicated its weekly End War Protest on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge over the Mississippi River to mark the third anniversary of October 7. Around 75 people came to line both sides of the Saint Paul side of the bridge for an hour and half.
Many speakers and chants focused on the need for people to take action to end U.S. funding and complicity with Israel’s genocide. Sima Shakhsari, an organizer with both of EJP and Let Iran Live, told the crowd, “The state of Minnesota must divest from companies that enable this genocide. In the Twin Cities, activists have achieved several victories that include stopping the contract with Skydio in Minneapolis; and Saint Paul is next.
“I have faith that we will divest, from Minnesota to the east coast and west coast and the south, until the U.S.-Israeli murderous regime is dismantled,” Shakhsari concluded.
Since last year’s anniversary protest, Israel and the United States have expanded the war to include more fronts, notably including Lebanon and Iran. Lina Jebara, a member of both the MN Anti War Committee and U.S. Palestinian Community Network, spoke to the crowd on how Israel has expanded its attacks on Lebanon.
“Since October 7, nearly 9000 Lebanese have been killed by U.S.-Israeli violence. Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have been ongoing and have only escalated since the war on Iran began, with nearly half of those 9000 martyrs being murdered this year,” Jebara said. “Israeli officials have not been subtle with their goals. They do not shy away from accusations of ethnic cleaning and have outright stated their intent to repeat the ‘Gaza model’ in Lebanon.”
The Free Palestine Coalition (FPC), a large collection of groups, is planning to hold its annual community march on Saturday, October 10 at 1 p.m., starting at Gateway Park at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue and Washington Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. Similar marches called by the FPC in October 2024 and 2025 drew thousands of participants eager to demonstrate mass solidarity with the people of Palestine in their struggle against occupation, apartheid and genocide.