St. Paul, MN – On June 21 during rush hour, 75 people rallied and chanted at the weekly WAMM (Women Against Military Madness) bannering at the busy intersection of Snelling and Summit Avenues in Saint Paul. This week’s event was co-sponsored by the Free Palestine Coalition.

The demonstrators held signs, “MN divest from apartheid Israel,” “Stop bombing Gaza” and “End U.S. aid to Israel.” Car drivers honked approval and passengers gave thumbs up constantly.

Emcee Robyn Harbison led the crowd in chants, “Hey Biden what do you say? How many kids did you kill today?” The chants rotated, naming President Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Netenyahu and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.  

After the chanting were speakers representing several local Palestine solidarity groups including the MN Anti War Committee (AWC), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Ceasefire Choir, and Normandale Students for Justice in Palestine.

As the death toll of Gazan martyrs at the hands of the Zionist murderers approaches 37,000, the speeches reflected the deep horror at the ongoing U.S.-sponsored genocide. There is plenty of anger because of the U.S. support, without which the Israeli war would not be possible. Speakers expressed awe, respect and love for the people of Palestine who continue to resist and continue to struggle until Palestine is free. 

Ellie McCloud, a new member of WAMM, pointed out to the crowd, “If the genocide were to stop this very second, if we had one funeral every day for everyone murdered, it would take over 100 years.”

Meredith Aby-Keirstead spoke representing the AWC, “This is the month we are supposed to be celebrating Pride and our resistance since Stonewall. But I’m not proud that stories of people like myself and other queer people are being used to justify U.S. support of this genocide and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. This is called pinkwashing. We have the responsibility next weekend in the Take Back Pride march where tens of thousands of people will be watching to say, ‘None of us are free, until Palestine is free!’”

Abdullah Abdulwahab spoke for AMP, “I want to tell you the story of Badr, a 29-year-old who was this week released from a prison after enduring unspeakable and sadistic torture. He returned to Khan Younis only to find his home bombed. He had nowhere to go. But despite his everything he has endured he will not give up. Not until Palestine is free. And neither will the father holding his dead child, nor the people from Rafah who are trapped and being bombed on a daily basis. Not until Palestine is free in the near future!

Abdulwahab concluded with the chant, “By the millions, by the billions, we are all Palestinians!”

Protesters were encouraged to come out to the MN Peace Action Coalition’s protest on Tuesday at a Honeywell facility in Northeast area of Minneapolis to hold Honeywell accountable for the weapons it produces that are used in this U.S.-supported genocide of the people of Gaza.

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