Chicago, IL – On Thursday, January 18, nearly 150 students rallied and marched at the University of Illinois at Chicago as part of Students for a Democratic Society’s national day of action against the U.S. bombing of Yemen and in solidarity with the resistance in Palestine.

Despite the cold and wind students gathered between UIC lecture centers to show their solidarity with the Palestinian and Yemeni resistance. SDSers led students in chants of “Yemen Yemen stand your ground, turn another ship around!” and “Money for schools, not for war, U.S. out of Yemeni shores!”

SDSer Angel Naranjos began the rally with a speech emphasizing the connections between U.S./Zionist aggression in Palestine and the ongoing immigrant crisis and economic war against progressive governments in Central and South America.

“It is the reactionary and racist, billionaire class of countries like the United States, Britain and Israel who are the direct beneficiaries of the siege on Palestine. In particular, our government, here in the United States, is directly responsible… for the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicaraguans, just as they are responsible for displacing countless Palestinians.”

Nadiah Alyafai, a South Yemeniyah member of the US Palestinian Community Network, lauded the heroic actions of the Yemeni resistance, stating, “Yemen has proved to the world this is not just a Palestinian fight. The importance of freedom and liberation lies within the context of everyone's freedom. The Palestinian fight is central to the whole Arab world and to anyone that fights in the name of social justice, because there is no justice or peace in the world without justice and peace for Palestine.”

Alyafai also condemned the brutal bombing of Yemen, stating the U.S. government “would rather bomb multiple cities in Yemen to protect Israel from suffering economic damages than to stop the genocide in Gaza. It is clear that, under capitalism, shipping containers have more sanctity than human life.”

SDSer Erin Boyle condemned the hypocritical lies of Secretary of State Blinken and the U.S. government., stating. “Our state officials have no shame for the blood on their hands, our secretary of state said the South African case against Israel in the International Court of Justice ‘distracts the world from important efforts for peace and security.’ Shame on him. Peace and security for who? Israel continues to rain down bombs on Gaza paid for by us.”

Liz Rathburn of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization emphasized the pressing need for solidarity between workers and oppressed people in the United States and the resistance in Palestine.

“We the working people in this country have more in common with the people of Yemen and Palestine than we do with our own government or with the apartheid regime in Israel, they are waging a revolutionary struggle against the same empire working people in this country need to overthrow.”

After the speakers, activists led students in a march on the UIC administration building to support Students for Justice in Palestine in their demand that UIC cut its ties with Israeli institutions. Before dispersing, students shook the 28-story tower with chants of “There is only one solution, intifada revolution!” and “Genocide Joe it is time, stop funding war crimes!”

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