Minneapolis, MN– On Saturday, October 10, hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Minneapolis to join the Free Palestine Coalition (FPC) in marking three years of resistance to Israel’s genocide in Palestine.

Protesters demanded an end to the genocide and an end to U.S. aid to Israel. The crowd was energized by chants of “We will not stop; we will not rest! Boycott, sanctions and divest!” A choral group, Singing Resistance, led the crowd in resistance songs while the protest blocked an intersection downtown.

Meredith Aby, director of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), addressed the crowd, asking “How many of you feel like the news this week has gaslighted us? They claim there is a ‘ceasefire’. It’s not a ceasefire. It’s a genocide. Israel has killed a child in Gaza every 71 minutes for three years! Israeli attacks have killed over 1100 Palestinians in Gaza over the last year, with the total confirmed killed since October 2023 reaching over 74,000.”

Since al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, over 175,000 people have been injured, and 94% of health facilities and hospitals have been damaged. The impact of the attacks has meant nearly all of the schools in Gaza have been destroyed, leaving no real educational infrastructure. Israel continues to block access of most food, oil and medical supplies, committing genocide in more ways than just bombs and guns.

Nadiyah Salawdeh, co-chair of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network – Minnesota brought attention to the decades of attacks by the Israeli state, saying, “The Palestinian people have undergone genocide for nearly 80 years. Our villages have been ethnically cleansed. The Israeli settler-state has made Palestinians into permanent refugees and slaughtered them in their camps. They have been starved and jailed and denied basic medical access.”

The protest demands also called for an end to the war on Iran and Lebanon. Yossi Aharoni, member of the MN Anti-War Committee, told the crowd, “Palestine gives me hope. Yemen gives me hope. Lebanon gives me hope. Iran gives me hope.”

Aharoni continued, “Iran, a small, besieged country, cut off from the world, stood up to the United States and punched it right in the mouth and said, ‘No more!’ If Palestine can survive 78 years of unimaginable hardship; if Iran can stand up to the most powerful military force in the world, then who are we to give up?”

The protest was accompanied by many other protests throughout the Twin Cities earlier in the week, such as Students for a Democratic Society’s protest at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and WAMM’s protest at the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River, both on October 7.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7

Detroit, MI – Wayne State University students and community members gathered Wednesday, October 7, to defend Palestine’s right to resist on the third anniversary of Israel-United States’ genocide in Gaza.

The demonstration was organized by WSU Students for a Democratic Society. Endorsing groups in attendance included WSU Students for Justice in Palestine, College Democrats at WSU, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Beginning the rally with chants, students defended the right of Palestinians to resist Zionist occupation, as well as demanded WSU divest from war profiteers. Protesters could be chanting that no more of their tuition money should go to funding genocide.

FRSO member Jackson Robak told the crowd, “We are here today to stand with the Palestinian Resistance, who, on October 7, looked death in the eye and bravely fought back against Zionist occupation, showing the world that the Israeli occupation forces could be defeated.”

A member of WSU SDS stated, “History has shown the world that the Palestine movement is an inalienable part of the student movement, that the oppressed people of the world have an ally in the student movement, and that even though Palestine has taken up less and less space in the headlines, we are still here and still fighting.”

A march around campus was led by a banner reading, “Wayne State cut the ties,” and Palestine flags were held high. While protesters were in route, a professor and class of approximately 250 students joined the march in support.

A small group of five Zionists attempted to counter-protest the rally, trailing behind marchers. Police stood in front of the Zionists; however, the size of the march showed that WSU students stand with the Palestinian people, and chants of “From Wayne State to Palestine, resistance is justified” drowned out those in opposition.

On their way back to Keast Commons, marchers passed the patch of grass where an encampment was set up in 2024 to demand WSU divest from Israel. Since the genocide began, students have mobilized to support the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation, and, three years on, the fight for a free Palestine is still alive at Wayne State.

#DetroitMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #StudentMovement #Palestine #October7

Portland, OR – On October 7, around 150 people rallied and marched in downtown Portland to demand an end to the genocide of Palestine, an end to the war on Iran, and to stop the attacks on Lebanon. Portland for Palestine organized the protest following the call to action from the Anti-War Action Network.

The rally started at Terry Schrunk Plaza , where Mutaz Alshawa, one of the founders of Portland for Palestine, told the crowd, “For us as Palestinians, the Zionists’ violence against us did not start on October 7, the occupation has been going on for almost 100 years.”

Alshawa continued, “We must take a stand. We must be strong. If you idle, if you do not take a side, you are a part of it. Our tax money is funding this. We are being affected here every day in America.”

Dan Shea from Veteran for Peace stated, “These are clear demands: Stop the genocide! End U.S. aid to Israel! No war on Iran! Hands off Lebanon!” Shea encouraged attendees at this protest to attend the upcoming No Kings: Vote Early protest on October 17 and bring these demands forward as we go into mid-term elections.

As the group marched through downtown Portland, many passersby joined in on chants and filmed the march on their phones. Chants included, “Money for homes and education, not for bombs and devastation” and “From Iran to Falastin, stop the U.S. war machine!” A lone Zionist confronted the group yelling obscenities and followed the march for several blocks. Eventually, the Zionist was confronted by multiple marchers and was forced to leave the area of the march.

The march ended where it started, at Terry Schrunk Plaza. Singer David Rovicks performed at the event as attendees mingled and spoke with the organizations present about future organizing efforts.

The event was endorsed by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Sunrise Movement PDX, Diaspora Pa'lante Collective, and Veterans for Peace.

#PortlandOR #OR #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7

New York City, NY – Over 100 students rallied at Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park on October 7 to demand NYU cut ties to Israel after three years of genocide in Gaza. The protest was organized by the NYU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).

Protesters chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” There were several journalists with cameras taking video and photos of the rally. Police officers stood off to the side of the protest to keep watch of demonstrators. Many people who walked by expressed support by joining along in chants. A few Zionists yelled at protesters but were largely ignored by the crowd.

The SJP, the representative for student activists from the Student Government Assembly, Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine at NYU and Law Students for Justice in Palestine all spoke to the devastation that Israel has brought onto the Palestinian people in Gaza in the past three years and the continued occupation of Palestine for the last 78 years. They highlighted NYU’s complicity in the genocide and occupation through its investments in weapons companies, its campus in Tel Aviv and its suppression of pro-Palestinian speech on campus. They demanded that NYU shut down its campus in Tel Aviv, disclose and divest a its funds in weapons companies and Israel and end its crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech on campus.

After the speakers, protesters marched around NYU campus chanting, “One, we are the students! Two, we won’t stop fighting. Three, until Palestine is free, free, free, free!” and “NYU what do you say, how many kids did you kill today?” Police once more followed close by.

After marching, SJP invited people to attend a vigil, their last event for their week of action for Palestine to start the semester.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #StudentMovement #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7 #NYU

Fort Collins, CO – About 30 community members marched through downtown Fort Collins on October 7 to demand a free Palestine and an end to the U.S.-backed, Israeli genocide in Gaza. Organized by Fort Collins Against War (FCAW), the march and vigil were part of a nationwide day of action called by the Anti-War Action Network marking the third anniversary of Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

The action began at Oak Street Plaza with speeches and chants before participants marched toward Old Town Square. There, Hatem Teirelbar, a member of Denver Anti-War Action, led a moment of silence and read the names of some of the Palestinian children killed in the ongoing genocide.

As the march passed through Old Town Square, chants like “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “From Palestine to Mexico, these border walls have got to go!” reverberated off the walls of Old Town Square. Other chants throughout the march connected the Palestinian resistance to other conflicts in the Middle East.

From Old Town Square, the march continued to Fort Collins City Hall, where participants chalked messages including “Long live Palestine” and “Keep my taxes out of Israel!”

At city hall, FCAW organizer David Stakelin told the crowd, “We understand that the forces of imperialism that continue to oppress and kill people in places like Palestine are the same forces that oppress and exploit people here.”

Stakelin highlighted the importance of sustaining the anti-war movement with action, saying, “Now is the time to let our government know that we will not sit by while it funds massacres overseas. Now is the time to join an organization, resist oppression, and forge a world where human life is valued above profit and empire.”

Throughout the action, FCAW tabled at Oak Street Plaza, providing community members with an opportunity to learn more about the organization and its work on local campaign building.

Stakelin closed the by saying, “When we finally see a free Palestine, the world will remember the Palestinian people as people who resisted. October 7, 2023, woke up millions of people around the world to the reality of Zionism, occupation and imperialism. We must stay awake. We must continue to organize and resist. And we must continue fighting until Palestine is free.”

#FortCollinsCO #CO #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7

Jacksonville, FL – Marking the third year since Israel escalated its genocide in Gaza, on October 7, the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, organized a rally at the Saint John’s Town Center mall to bring attention to the fact that Israel continues its massacres of the Palestinian people and to demand that the U.S. stop sending aid to the Zionist state.

Since the ceasefire has taken effect, Al Jazeera reports that Israel has violated it at least 5147 times. These violations include shooting at civilians, raiding residential areas, demolishing at least 273 properties and bombing/shelling Gaza at least 1109 times. All this has resulted in the deaths of almost 1500, the injuries of over 5000 and the detainment of 198 Palestinians.

Starting in the evening rush hour with many cars passing by and showing support, the rally kicked off in the heart of the Saint John’s Town Center. JPSN invited a broad coalition to attend, including the UNF chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance, Jax Democratic Socialists of America, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Speakers and chants focused on the demands to end U.S. aid to Israel´s genocide as well as showing solidarity with the Palestinian people. Conor Cauley of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “What October 7 revealed to us, is the fact that the U.S. is nothing more than a greedy, warmongering empire and Israel is its cruel genocidal proxy state. It is now clear to us that we share a common enemy in that empire. While we have to beg year after year for better jobs, better healthcare and better education, our government not only ignores our pleas but sends billions of our own tax dollars to aid in Israel’s genocide.”

Conor continued, “The FRSO is proud to stand with the Palestinian people and their resistance, and we demand an immediate end to all US aid to Israel! Because we know the masses do not want to pay for genocide! We don't want war with Iran! And we don't want war with Lebanon! What we want is a free Palestine!”

Many people held signs demanding “Genocide out of Jax” and displayed flags to show solidarity with the Palestinian, Iranian and Lebanese people.

Sara Mahmoud, a long time organizer in the movement for a free Palestine and currently with JPSN, told the crowd, “We take pride in the heroism we saw during Al-Aqsa Flood, when the Palestinian and the Palestinian people alone broke through the largest open air prison and completely upended the status quo as it relates to Palestine; because the first time in our history, the popular sentiment of the world, including here in the belly of the beast, is with our people in Palestine.”

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #Palestine #AntiWarMovement #October7

Minneapolis, MN – To mark the third year since Israel initiated the Gaza genocide on October 7, 2023, organizers in the Twin Cities organized many protests to emphasize that, despite the alleged ceasefire and so-called “Gaza peace plan” announced in October 2025, daily massacres by Israeli forces continue.

The October 7 actions come ahead of a major protest march planned for Saturday, October 10 in downtown Minneapolis, planned by a large coalition of Palestine solidarity groups, under the banner of “Three years of genocide; three years of resistance.”

According to health officials, Israeli attacks have killed over 1100 Palestinians in Gaza over the last year, with the total confirmed killed since October 2023 reaching over 74,000.

The day started with a lunchtime protest at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in front of the student union, organized by campus chapters of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Students for Justice in Palestine, Educators for Justice in Palestine (EJP), and Young Democratic Socialists of America.

Emil Chu of SDS spoke to the crowd of over 100 students, saying, “October 7 ripped open the belly of the beast and gave people a look at the hypocrisy and injustice that was the lifeblood of this country. It awakened a great consciousness in many people for the first time that our country cares more about profiting off of a genocide than the well-being of its citizens.”

Chu continued, “When I first started organizing for Palestine, I was compelled to action by our country’s active participation in the greatest moral injustice of the 21st century. I was aghast that anyone could sit on the sidelines while a genocide was so obviously being perpetrated. Three years in, I’ve been arrested several times, gone to jail, lost job opportunities, and sacrificed personal relationships for Palestine, and I would do it all over again if I could, because I am moved, more than anything, by the spirit of the Palestinian people’s resilience in the face of immeasurable cruelty.”

Later that day, Women Against Military Madness dedicated its weekly End War Protest on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge over the Mississippi River to mark the third anniversary of October 7. Around 75 people came to line both sides of the Saint Paul side of the bridge for an hour and half.

Many speakers and chants focused on the need for people to take action to end U.S. funding and complicity with Israel’s genocide. Sima Shakhsari, an organizer with both of EJP and Let Iran Live, told the crowd, “The state of Minnesota must divest from companies that enable this genocide. In the Twin Cities, activists have achieved several victories that include stopping the contract with Skydio in Minneapolis; and Saint Paul is next.

“I have faith that we will divest, from Minnesota to the east coast and west coast and the south, until the U.S.-Israeli murderous regime is dismantled,” Shakhsari concluded.

Since last year’s anniversary protest, Israel and the United States have expanded the war to include more fronts, notably including Lebanon and Iran. Lina Jebara, a member of both the MN Anti War Committee and U.S. Palestinian Community Network, spoke to the crowd on how Israel has expanded its attacks on Lebanon.

“Since October 7, nearly 9000 Lebanese have been killed by U.S.-Israeli violence. Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have been ongoing and have only escalated since the war on Iran began, with nearly half of those 9000 martyrs being murdered this year,” Jebara said. “Israeli officials have not been subtle with their goals. They do not shy away from accusations of ethnic cleaning and have outright stated their intent to repeat the ‘Gaza model’ in Lebanon.”

The Free Palestine Coalition (FPC), a large collection of groups, is planning to hold its annual community march on Saturday, October 10 at 1 p.m., starting at Gateway Park at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue and Washington Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. Similar marches called by the FPC in October 2024 and 2025 drew thousands of participants eager to demonstrate mass solidarity with the people of Palestine in their struggle against occupation, apartheid and genocide.

#StPaulMN #MN #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7

Washington, DC – On Wednesday, October 7, the third anniversary of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people, activists and community members from across the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia) area gathered outside the White House to protest the genocide and stand with the Palestinian people.

The event was organized by the Anti-War Committee DMV, who brought a four-foot-tall effigy bearing the face of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Attendees were encouraged to attack the effigy, with organizers providing sticks to beat it with.

“We want justice, we want peace! Stop bombing the Middle East!” one organizer shouted, as children threw shoes at the effigy.

Ermiya Fanaeian, a leader in the Anti-War Committee DMV, said, “It’s been three years since the escalation of the genocide, but the genocide did not start three years ago. It started in the 1940s, when the U.S. first decided to stick its imperialist fangs into the Middle East.”

Also speaking on behalf of the Anti-War Committee DMV, Katie Sayour pointed out the deep connections between tech giant Palantir and the U.S. military industrial complex.

“It was Palantir's Maeven system that targeted the girl's school in Iran, and their systems that helped the U.S. kidnap President Maduro in Venezuela,” said Sayour, “Palantir's surveillance technology is used by the IDF, tested on Palestinians, and then brought home to spy on us. And the government is using our tax dollars to do it! That's why we say: No more! Palantir out!”

The action rounded out with a speech from Iain McNeely, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “I am proud to be a member of Freedom Road,” McNeely said. “We’ve been standing with Palestine – not for three years, not for ten, but for decades. We stand firmly with the people of Palestine, and all the world’s oppressed peoples, and proudly say Victory to the Palestinian resistance!”

McNeely closed his speech with an appeal to join the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, “We say that anyone who wants revolution, socialism and liberation should join us, and join the fight against U.S. imperialism!”

#WashingtonDC #DC #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7

San Jose, CA – At noon, October 7, two dozen students rallied at San Jose State University to commemorate three years since the escalation of Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people, and to honor Palestinian martyrs. The rally was led by the San Jose chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.

Other organizations in attendance included the Muslim Student Association, MEChA, Students for Quality Education, and Students for a Democratic Society.

The slogans attacked SJSU admin’s complicity with genocide, campus war profiteers like Lockheed Martin, Alphabet and others, and commemorated the sacrifices the resistance throughout the three years of the Zionist entity’s brutal onslaught against the Palestinian people. The action also called for attention to a recent important campaign victory for SJSU SJP, which managed to secure disclosure of university investments from the SJSU non-profit Tower Foundation.

SJP member Salam Ramahi said, “When I think about Palestine, I don't just think about a place on a map or something I see in the news. I think about my family. I think about the people who know my family and the generations of memories connected to that place. Our lives didn't begin on October 7. We had families, traditions, memories and communities long before them. And those things continue to exist despite everything that has happened.”

The march circled around campus, stopping near the fountain before progressing to its endpoint next to Clark Hall, where campus administrative offices were located.

Muslim Student Association member Moses Ali stated, “If we let our fear control us, the Palestinians may never be free. If we let our fear control us, we let the innocents continue to be oppressed. If we let our fear control us, we stand with the oppressors. To be silent in such a time is siding with the oppressor and giving them your seal of approval.”

Ali continued by calling out SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matison, stating, “And going to SJSU, we must not remain silent, because our university president is on the side of the oppressors. She not only traveled to Israel, but she befriended some IDF soldiers and thought it was cool enough to post. Shame!” An online post resurfaced of President Teniente-Matison praising IDF soldiers several years ago, which many students and organizations on campus have been publicizing.

Hady Barghouti, SJP member and journalism student, told the crowd, “We have seen [journalists] and public figures face consequences for speaking about Palestine. We have seen people lose opportunities and face backlash simply for expressing what they believe.” He also spoke on his personal connection to the displacement and violence Palestine has faced, sharing the story of his grandmother.

Barghouti stated, “It goes back generations. My grandmother was only 14 years old when she was forced from her own home in 1948 and fled to Syria. 14 years old. At 14, most of us are worried about school, friends, sport, or whatever we're doing that weekend. My grandmother was forced to leave her home and start over somewhere else. That history is part of my family. is part of who I am. And that's why, when people tell Palestinians to simply move on, I don't understand how we're supposed to do that.”

The march ended with SJP leadership speaking on their recent success in securing disclosure, while also affirming their commitment to continuing to pressure administration until divestment in apartheid Israel is fully achieved.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #StudentMovement #October7

Seattle, WA – On the third anniversary of Operation al-Aqsa Flood, October 7, over 350 Seattle-area workers and students marched for a free Palestine.

Hundreds of high school students walked out at noon, holding a rally and march in the Capitol Hill neighborhood before merging into a larger demonstration organized by Nidal Seattle. After opening speeches from organizers, the nearly 400-strong crowd took the streets, marching from Seattle Central College to the historic Pike Place Market, which has been the center of many anti-war protests this year.

The strong turnout and militant energy represented the three years’ worth of organizing undertaken by the groups that helped to plan the event. The march was endorsed by over 30 organizations, ranging from socialist groups to the Muslim Congress.

Speakers and attendees emphasized the need to counteract the narrative that October 7 was an isolated terror attack, but to assert that it was a righteous uprising against 75 years of genocide and ethnic cleansing. The program specifically highlighted the legitimacy of armed resistance. Chants not only praised the Palestinian resistance factions, but also the regional Axis of Resistance, uplifting Iran, Yemen and Lebanon in their fights against imperialist aggression.

Chants during the march also highlighted the interconnected nature of the struggle for Palestinian liberation with the plight of workers and immigrants within the United States, a fact frequently highlighted by freedom fighters in Palestine, Iran, Yemen and Lebanon. As the protesters reached downtown Seattle, it wasn’t just “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation!” that reverberated from the buildings, but “Not for ICE and deportations!” as well.

“October 7 was a wake-up call for so many people,” explained Rae Lee, an organizer with Seattle Against War, who helped organize the march. “The genocide in Gaza and the heroic struggle of the Palestinian resistance has inspired millions across the world to fight for a better world. We owe a great debt to their courage, and that’s why we have to keep fighting for a free Palestine.”

#SeattleWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #October7

Fight Back! News Service is circulating the following statement from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

This week we recognize the three year anniversary of the October 7th Al-Aqsa Flood, a courageous bid for liberation that embodied the aspirations of all of us who yearn for a better world.

The world has also witnessed the crime of the century in the form of a relentless U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza that has stolen many tens of thousands of lives, in the aim of erasing Palestine and Palestinians—something that will never be accomplished. But in the context of these crimes and horrors, October 7th stands as an enduring beacon of resistance. It was a pivotal moment that lit sparks of solidarity across the world and at the same time shattered the myth of Israel’s invincibility. It exposed the fundamental weakness of the Zionists and their U.S. imperialist backers, and changed the trajectory of the worldwide struggle against imperialism, forever.

Of course October 7th did not happen in a vacuum, but was the legitimate and righteous response to 75 years of ethnic cleansing, of Nakba, of the daily reality of occupation in the form of military violence, land and water theft, demolition of homes, of people trapped under apartheid.

In response to this context, the Palestinian resistance struck a major blow to the heart of the Zionist war machine. It was a historic and tactical triumph—in minutes, the supposedly bulletproof Israeli military apparatus collapsed into confusion and panic, with an entire military division disintegrating in a half hour, and with it, a staggering moral defeat. The unthinkable scale of the genocide that followed is the proof of their desperation. They tried to destroy the Palestinian resistance, but Palestine has an inalienable right to exist that October 7th stands firmly on.

The beacon of October 7th and the fight against continued U.S.-Israeli aggression set off a cascade of heroism in the region and across the world. From Lebanon, to Yemen, to Iraq, to Iran, forces of resistance have risen to challenge U.S. imperialism and Zionism in the region. In the past 3 years these forces have delivered countless blows to imperialism, and the position of U.S. imperialism in the Middle East is never going to be the same as it was. U.S. empire, in its accelerating decline is not able to carry out this destruction with its rabid lapdog Israel forever. In fact, in the scheme of things it is losing its grip on the Middle East. The camp of resistance is able to deliver setbacks and drive strategic wedges between the U.S. and its potential allies. The resistance continues to advance, with the steadfast role of Iran and the tactical brilliance of forces in Lebanon and Yemen, arm in arm with other progressive and patriotic forces throughout the Middle East.

Resistance to imperialism is a force that will never be snuffed out.

There has over the past period been a profound reverberating effect of October 7th that goes across the entire globe. Hundreds of thousands have poured into the streets in cities, from Amsterdam, to Washington, DC, to London, to Istanbul, flooding them with the flag of Palestine. There have been massive encampments on college campuses and fierce battles in city council rooms—there has been a global awakening where people from all walks of life look at the real face of the enemy and see it for what it is, and the ranks of the fighters joining the struggle against that enemy continue to grow.

It is right to rebel and the struggle continues now. We demand an immediate and total end to all U.S. aid to the apartheid state of Israel, the right of return for all Palestinian refugees, and the release of political prisoners.

Stand with the Palestinian resistance! End U.S. aid to Israel! Free Palestine, from the river to the sea!

#Palestine #FRSO #October7 #International #Statement