Costa Mesa, CA – On Saturday, May 31, chants of “Free, free Palestine!” were heard as about 50 protesters gathered on the corner of Sunflower and Bristol in Costa Mesa. The protest was across from South Coast Plaza, which is a luxury shopping center filled with high-end stores that rakes in $2 billion per year.

Emcee Amy Parker of the Orange County Democratic Socialists of America (OC DSA) reminded the crowd that the plaza is owned by the Zionist Sergerstrom family. The family has also donated at least $40 million to the Sergerstrom Center of the Arts which was also protested earlier this year for hosting the Israel Philharmonic.

Abe Quintana of Freedom Road Socialist Organization Orange County (FRSO OC) spoke about the death toll in Palestine rising “to ever higher numbers while food and medical supplies are not allowed to enter the occupation zones. Shame!” Quintana said this is made possible by U.S. capitalists. He called people to action stating, “we must be building and waging our own struggle at home to end US aid to Israel! We live in the belly of the beast and it's our responsibility to fight U.S. imperialism from home!”

Protesters then marched throughout the intersection with chants like “Netanyahu you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” Protesters held up signs to the cars waiting at the light with messages of “Stand with Palestine! End the occupation now!” and “Victory to the Palestinian resistance!” Many cars driving by honked in support.

Chris Ahmed of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) encouraged the crowd to keep fighting for Palestine, stating, “Remember this: try! Stand up for the people of Palestine! Have your voice heard! Convince your friends, convince your families, convince your coworkers and one by one our ranks will grow, their ranks will shrink! Free, free Palestine!”

David Pulido of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC), stated, “The enemy of Palestine is the same enemy as ours. Just like Chicanos in the late 60s identified with the Vietnamese resistance to the U.S. empire, today we identify with the Palestinian resistance to brutal Israeli occupation, sponsored and supported by our government.” Pulido added, “just like how Vietnam delivered a crushing blow to U.S. imperialism, I am confident that Palestine will win!”

The protest was primarily organized by OC DSA and was endorsed by CSO OC, FRSO OC, JVP, International League of People’s Struggle, and many more.

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