Portland continues to demand an end of U.S. aid to Israel after election
Portland, OR – On Saturday November 9, nearly a hundred people gathered at Sunnyside Park in southeast Portland for a rally and march organized by Portland for Palestine (P4P). Protesters took to the streets to showing solidarity with Palestine and refusing to allow the election outcome to undercut the struggle for Palestinian liberation.
P4P member Kacey DeSantis opened with, “The election has been called but our demands remain the same! End all U.S. aid to Israel! End the billions of unrestricted taxpayer dollars being sent to the settler state committing a genocide! Palestine and the death of an estimated 200,000 women, men and children is not an afterthought! It is not just an election issue and it is not a policy issue to be dealt with later!”
There was an increased police presence at the park. A bicycle squad was spotted, and patrol cars drove around the neighborhood. A handful of news stations and newspapers spoke to organizers and attendees alike.
FRSO member Holly Brown remarked, “All over the world, oppressed nations are fighting back against imperialism. In the Middle East, Palestine is leading the way! Here in the United States, millions were in the streets this past year, demanding an end to the genocide. The movement is growing, and rapidly. The United States is weakening, and that is a good thing. It is one of the main obstacles to peace and justice, not only here, but around the world!”
During the march, people yelled chants like “End the aggression, stop the crimes, Israel/U.S. out of Palestine!” and “When Palestine is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” The police made announcements demanding the protesters move onto the sidewalk. The people stayed on the road until the end.
Before the march, P4P member Finn Cunningham announced a divestment campaign, declaring that “Portland’s government has been more than helpful in this genocide, having invested millions of dollars in companies that sell products and weaponry to the IOF. Join us today as we take a stand against Israel and against our tax dollars funding death, violence and genocide. As residents and taxpayers of Portland, we do have a say and we do have the ability to make an impact!”
Portland for Palestine is resolute in their solidarity. They will continue to demand an end of U.S. aid to Israel and stay in the streets until Palestine is free. Their campaign aims to end Portland’s complicity in genocide and take a step towards Palestinian liberation.