Tampa Bay continues taking to the streets to stand with Palestine
Tampa, FL – Nearly 1000 people came out in the blazing sun and heat on Saturday, November 11 to stand in solidarity with Palestine as the Zionist butchers continue their assault on Gaza, leaving thousands of civilians dead, including 4500 children.
After the downtown rally at Curtis Hixon Park, with speakers from different community groups, protesters marched down the Riverwalk and to the nearby Convention Center, where onlookers heard chants of, “Biden Biden you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide,” and, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”
Joining the protest were several boats sporting Palestinian flags and encouraging the marchers with Mohammad Assaf’s classic song of Palestinian resistance, Dammi Falastini. After passing the Convention Center, the march progressed past dozens of passersby and restaurant diners, before taking one of the main streets, Ashley, and returning to Curtis Hixon Park.
Notable for their absence – aside from one news channel and a photographer from a local alternative news – were the mainstream media, which continue their pattern of either ignoring or downplaying Palestinian solidarity protests.
Speakers from Resistance of Tampa Bay talked about the ongoing horror of the genocide in Gaza, and the importance of continuing to come out to protests and to not lose hope. Lama Alhasan from Dream Defenders of Florida spoke about the mass movement to free Palestine, and how, “All the working-class people must unite and say, no more money for Israel’s crimes!”
Joseph Nohava, with Tampa Bay Community Action Committee, announced the start of a new campaign to demand that Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, who visited occupied Palestine as recently as last year, cut business ties with the Zionists, and end any and all police training programs with the Zionist national police and military.
Participating groups included Resistance of Tampa Bay, Students for a Democratic Society, Dream Defenders, Party for Socialism and Liberation, and Tampa Bay Community Action Committee.
On Tuesday, November 14, there will be a mobilization to the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, through the Islamic Community of Tampa. On Thursday, November 16, the Tampa Bay CAC will be holding a rally to kick off their campaign to demand Tampa divest from Israel.
The groups collectively agreed to continue to march, rally and pressure state and local politicians in Florida until Palestine is free.