FRSO Orlando condemns police attack on pro-Palestine protesters
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization of Orlando stands in solidarity with the eight pro-Palestine solidarity activists who were brutalized, assaulted and arrested by the Orlando Police Department [OPD] on September 21.
The protesters were all members of Central Florida Queers for Palestine and Orlando for Peace, two local grassroots organizations dedicated to justice in Palestine. Around 20 activists had gathered at Lake Eola Park as part of an emergency action denouncing Israel’s illegal and immoral bombing campaigns against Lebanon and demanding an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
The protest was peaceful and included a march around Lake Eola, as protestors chanted and held large Lebanese and Palestinian flags. Although they did not request nor want an OPD escort, police on bikes followed them as they marched. Also following them was a single, deranged counter-protester who walked alongside them holding a sign with an Israeli flag and shouting obscenities at the group. And although OPD became increasingly hostile as the march went on, the rally for a safe Lebanon and a free Palestine continued without incident.
After about an hour of marching, the rally was over, and the activists began walking back to their cars. That’s when the unhinged counter-protester showed up again to harass the group, accompanied by the police on bikes. It was at that moment that OPD officers incited chaos and violence by brutally shoving Queers for Palestine activist Lamia Moukaddam, causing her to bang her head and shoulders on the ground.
The rest of the activists immediately ran to assist and protect Lamia who was still on the ground. That’s when the police began aggressively grabbing peoples’ arms, shoving others to the ground, shouting at the small crowd, and handcuffing several of them. OPD’s actions against this group of pro-Palestine activists were egregious, and their excessive force was caught on several of the protesters’ cameras. In total, eight pro-Palestine protesters were arrested.
We denounce the brutal treatment of these eight Central Florida pro-Palestine activists by OPD. We denounce their subsequent arrests and current felony and misdemeanor charges. The only people who should be facing any punishment for what occurred on September 21 are the police officers who abused an assembly of young people on their way home! Police brutality is a crime! Protesting is not!
This is a pivotal moment in this country’s history, when we are seeing crackdowns on civil liberties, and pro-Palestine speech and protests nationwide. Such repressive actions by the government against progressive forces are becoming all too common recently, especially in the state of Florida, where police are emboldened by state laws and politicians to act with impunity. Florida lawmakers use their power to protect the genocidal Israeli government and trample on the constitutionally protected rights of Florida residents, giving police free reign to attack at will. And it is our duty to resist these unconstitutional and unjust attacks!
The actions taken by the OPD and police across the country and are meant to intimidate the Palestine solidarity movement and quell the upsurge in support the Palestinian resistance has gained over the last year. Especially as we approach one year since Israel began its war against the people of Palestine. But we will not let any politicians, police, or provocateurs intimidate our movements! We will not allow fear of arrests or any charges against our friends and allies stop us from organizing and taking to the streets for Palestine.
When they come after one of us in the movement, we must all organize to oppose it. We stand in solidarity with our friends in Orlando for Peace and Central Florida Queers for Palestine in their struggle to resist these absurd, politically motivated charges against them.
Drop the charges now!