Charleston says drop the charges against pro-Palestine organizers
[Ladson, South Carolina rally demands drop the charges against pro-Palestine protesters. ]
Ladson, SC – On Tuesday, August 11, more than two dozen community members joined the Elbit Out of South Carolina (EOSC) coalition’s first mass rally outside Elbit Systems of America in Ladson since the arrest of three picketers, collectively known as the Ladson 3.
The rally began with a reading of a speech written by Haley Sabados, a member of the Ladson 3, who has been barred from the premises of Elbit since her arrest and is actively fighting her trespassing charge.
The message from Sabados stated, “While sitting in state-detention for 19 hours, I reflected on this coalition and what we are building and struggling towards. How this community is showing up for one another and the people of Palestine. Your support and dedication is what liberation feels like.”
While the first EOSC rally demanding justice for the Ladson 3 was held in a location where all three arrested picketers could attend, the decision to return to Elbit was a conscious one.
“We’re out here tonight in front of Elbit because we stand in solidarity with the Ladson 3 and we refuse to be intimidated by off-duty North Charleston police officers working as security for a war profiteer,” said Nate Hubler, a member of EOSC and the Lowcountry Action Committee. “Their repression is not going to stop us from being out here and forcing Elbit employees and contractors to reckon with the death and destruction they are causing.”
Despite the picket being held in the evening, one employee left the facility to a chorus of boos from the crowd and one semi-trailer with a delivery was welcomed with chants of “Elbit, Elbit you will see! We’ll kick you out of SC!”
Many of the speakers reflected on the words and life of Anas Al-Sharif, a Palestinian journalist who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in a tent outside the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City a year ago on August 10. Gia Ellis, an organizer with Free Palestine Charleston, read from Al-Sharif’s will, “I entrust you not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you. Be the bridges toward the liberation of the land and the people, until the sun of dignity and freedom rises over our stolen homeland.” They went on to say, “We take this charge seriously and it’s why we’ll continue to organize against Elbit until this factory is shut down. Gaza is our compass.”
The EOSC coalition has been picketing in front of the Israeli-owned weapons manufacturer every week since for months. The crowd chanted “Elbit, Elbit your hands are red! Two hundred thousand dead!” as passing cars honked in solidarity and flyers were handed out to cars parked at the traffic light. As the rally ended, attendees were asked to attend the upcoming EOSC community meeting on August 15.