New Orleans, LA – On August 6, at 9:30 a.m., nearly 100 local activists and community organizations converged onto New Orleans City Hall. They gathered to stand against the New Orleans City Council adopting a “Statement of Peace,” and demanded instead a resolution for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The so-called “Statement of Peace” was sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, an openly Zionist organization. It calls for peace while conveniently omitting Palestine or Palestinians, ignores local victims of Israeli genocidal violence such as Tawfic Abdeljabbar, and implies that local anti-genocide protests are “calls for violence.” After only a few weeks in circulation, the statement has been put forth on the council agenda.
Fight Back News service is circulating the following statement from the New Orleans Ceasefire Coalition, which includes Masjid Omar, Jewish Voice for Peace – New Orleans, New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports, Voice of the Experienced, and others.
In recent days, our coalition has been made aware of this ‘Statement of Peace,’ being distributed to local leaders and institutions, and signed by all of the New Orleans City Council Members. This statement seeks to address the “ongoing conflict in Gaza and Israel,” and is likely to be introduced as a resolution on the council’s agenda for a vote on Thursday, August 8th. Our coalition, which has been tirelessly advocating for a ceasefire resolution to this council, was not consulted about this statement. We consider this ‘Statement of Peace’ insidious in its language, and firmly reject it.
New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, June 29, nearly 100 community members gathered in Lafayette Square to show support for Palestine, and to put pressure on local lawmakers to pass a ceasefire resolution.
Leading up to the rally, the city’s local Palestinian coalition hosted cultural and political events from morning to evening. The day started with a cultural exchange and bazaar in Harvey. Bazaar participants then drove in a motorcade to Lafayette Square. At the Square, speakers from many local groups and one politician addressed the crowd. English and Arabic chants, such as “Free, free Palestine,” rang off the walls of the many federal and local government buildings in the area.
Washington, DC – On Wednesday, June 26, the Resist NATO coalition and the Cancel RIMPAC campaign held a joint press conference ahead of the upcoming Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise and the NATO summit.
Duluth, MN – On June 1, between 300 and 400 people from across the state protested the Minnesota DFL State Convention at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (the DECC).
It was a show of broad geographic support for ending the U.S. support for Israel’s genocidal military campaign in Gaza, and against the stances of DFL (the name of the Democratic Party in Minnesota) politicians like U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Governor Tim Walz, who have shown strong support for Israel.
St Paul, MN – On May 21, the Minnesota State Board of Investments (SBI) held its second quarterly meeting of 2024. The meeting began with an extensive discussion on “ethical investments” related to green energy and combating the ongoing climate crisis. What was not brought up by board of investors was how much Minnesota annually invests in companies and shareholdings connected with the ongoing genocide in Palestine.
Dallas, TX – On the last Friday of Ramadan, April 5, the Muslim Congress organized a protest for Al-Quds Day. The demonstration was held in collaboration with organizations such as Palestinian Youth Movement, CAIR Texas, Jewish Voice for Peace DFW, DFW Anti-War Committee and many others.
Minneapolis – On March 30, around 2500 protesters gathered along Lake Street where it crosses a narrow isthmus between Lake of the Isles and Bde Maka Ska in the Chain of Lakes. Organized by the local Free Palestine Coalition, the action marked Land Day, which commemorates the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation and land theft.
Pompano Beach, FL – On Saturday, March 2, over 200 cars traced a route across South Florida maintaining minimum legal speeds on interstates and along busy beachfront roads to protest U.S. support for Israel.
The caravan was launched in remembrance of the over 30,000 Palestinians who have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza. In honor of the martyrs, dozens of cars carried posters with the pictures and personal information of individual Palestinians murdered by Israel.
St. Paul, MN – On February 25, over 1000 people carrying Palestinian flags and signs lined both sides of the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River and then marched to Governor Tim Walz’ Eastcliff Mansion residence to demand that the Minnesota State Board of Investments (SBI) divest from Israeli weapons manufacturers, banks and bonds, and other entities complicit in Israel’s apartheid system in Palestine. Research done by the MN Anti-War Committee (AWC) shows that the MN SBI invests more than $3 billion this way.
