Minneapolis, MN – On September 16, thousands of rush-hour commuters on Interstate 94 saw banners with slogans like “Free Palestine,” “End apartheid” and “End ethnic cleansing” hung from the Loring Park footbridge, amid a sea of Palestinian flags. Activists from American Muslims for Palestine – Minnesota (AMP-MN), the Anti-War Committee (AWC) and Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) then rallied in the park with chants and speeches.
Minneapolis, MN – On August 5, 60 people gathered alongside Washington Avenue near Senator Amy Klobuchar’s Minneapolis office to demand an end of U.S. aid to apartheid Israel. The protesters stretched down the block with signs and Palestinian flags, greeting the rush hour drivers, who were overwhelmingly supportive and honking wildly.
Memphis, TN – On July 17, over 40 people gathered at the intersection of South Cooper Street and Young Avenue here for a rally called by the Memphis chapter of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, in coalition with Memphis Voices for Palestine. Representatives from Never Again TN and Jewish Memphians for Social Justice, two Jewish-led organizations, were also present.
Dallas, TX – On July 3, over 50 people gathered at Belo Garden Park in downtown Dallas to protest the recent destruction of Silwan, a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, and the ongoing siege on Gaza by the Israeli apartheid state. The action was called by the Palestinian Youth Movement.
Grand Rapids, MI – 60 people rallied in solidarity for a Free Palestine in Grand Rapids on June 13. On the sidewalk at Veterans Memorial Park, dozens waved Palestinian flags and held signs demanding, “Free Palestine.” Young Palestinian Americans led chants, “Viva! Viva! Palestina!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” The crowd then moved nearby to the Union soldier statue for several speeches imploring people to organize and fight back.
Chicago, IL – About 25 Palestinian community organizers, members and allies, led by the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), filled Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's office, June 10 to demand she support HR 2590, the Palestinian Children and Families Act. If passed, the bill would end U.S. military aid to Israel used for the imprisonment of children, the demolition of homes or annexation of Palestinian land.
Chicago, IL – On June 11, 100 activists gathered in front of the Facebook offices in Chicago to demand an end to digital apartheid. The social media company has repeatedly found reasons to censor Palestinian people who use the social media platform. Most recently, Facebook banned the use of hashtags denoting locations in Palestine, or advancing demands of the Palestinian people. Facebook insultingly claims that they are the names of terrorist organizations or forms of hate speech.
Fight Back! interviewed two activists who recently traveled to Syria to provide an eyewitness account of the U.S. war there. Kobi Guillory is a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and a co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Wyatt Miller is an activist with the Minnesota-based Anti-War Committee.
Lansing, MI – 120 protesters rallied for Palestine at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing. After handing out flags, signs and water, the crowd gathered on the capitol steps to hear from the organizers and to chant, “Free, free Palestine!”