Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, May 22, at 3 p.m. in Bryant Square Park, (3101 Bryant Avenue S) in Minneapolis, protesters will stand in solidarity with Palestine.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been under siege for close to 15 years, and again, they are facing a criminal attack from the Israeli government and military. At least 231 Palestinians, including 65 children, have been killed there in the past 11 days, when Israel began its missile bombardment of the Strip. Palestinian health officials say 1700 Palestinians have been wounded. Over 1300 housing units have been completely demolished or severely damaged. Even though Israel has publicly announced a cease fire the international community doesn’t know if it will hold. Additionally, there has been no plan stated publicly for rebuilding the schools, hospitals and a COVID testing facility that have been demolished or for providing for the physical or mental health of the people in Gaza.

In response, a coalition of local groups including American Muslims for Palestine, Anti-War Committee, If Not Now, and Jewish Voice for Peace is organizing a protest to #SaveSheikhJarrah – and demand #HandsOffJerusalem and #HandsOffGaza in South Minneapolis with a march through the Uptown neighborhood.

Christine Hauschildt, a spokesperson for the Anti-War Committee, explains the importance of this upcoming event, “The U.S. gives $3.8 billion every year to Israel – mostly in military aid. In addition to that, Biden has authorized an additional $735 million dollars’ worth of weapons to Israel while they have been using these U.S. missiles to kill over 200 Palestinians in the past two weeks. It is absolutely criminal that Biden is sending more weapons to a country which is engaging in ethnic cleansing. This protest gives community members a way to show support for the AOC/Sanders resolutions to block weapons sales to Israel.”

This will be the fourth Palestine solidarity protest in the past two weeks in the Twin Cities area. The protest on May 15 had over 2000 participants who marched in Columbia Heights.

#MinneapolisMN #Palestine #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #AntiWarCommittee #FreePalestine