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.

The caravan was led and tailed by video trucks displaying the truth of Israel’s crimes and had several cars with speakers on megaphones making educational and political speeches were distributed throughout. Participants distributed flyers with information about the history of Palestine and its occupation by the Zionists.

The hundreds of vehicles brought traffic to a crawl and drew cheering crowds at two intersections. Shouts of “Free Palestine” and “Stop the genocide” were heard from both the demonstrators’ speakers and from beachgoers. Many vehicles were adorned with decorations that were prepared during the two hours it took for the drivers to gather. These included flags, posters and painted messages that read “30,000 killed by Israel,” “End all aid to Israel” and “Victory to Palestine.”

Efforts by police and Zionists to harass the demonstration failed to prevent the vehicles from completing the entire planned route despite multiple citations and a Zionist motorcyclist who broke a side-view mirror.

At the conclusion, organizers said that this rally was double the size of the first rally a month before and made calls for the new participants to join in the planning of a third car rally for Palestine in South Florida.

Many organizations contributed to the event such as South-Florida Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Palestine Car Rally, Al-Awda, Jewish Voices for Peace of South Florida, Students for Justice in Palestine at Florida International University, Democratic Socialists of America, and Jose Marti Youth.

#PompanoBeachFL #MiamiFL #FtLauderdaleFL #BocaRatonFL #SouthFlorida #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #FRSO #JVP #AlAwda #SJP #DSA #JMY

North Miami, FL- About 50 activists and members of the North Miami community gathered at the North Miami Police Department, July 25, to protest the recent shooting Charles Kinsey. Protesters held signs that read, “Fire and jail all (wannabe) killer cops,” and “All lives will matter when Black lives do.” The protest included an hour long sit-in inside the police station, where they demanded answers for the attack on Charles Kinsey.

Kinsey is a Black behavioral healthcare worker who was shot twice in the leg by police officer Jonathon Aledda. He got shot while attempting to assist a nonverbal autistic man, Arnaldo Rios, who was a client at the group home where Kinsey works.

At the time Kinsey was shot, he was lying on the ground with his hands up, explaining to the officers that he was a healthcare worker and that the young autistic man sitting on the ground next to him only had a toy truck, not a gun. When Kinsey asked why the cop shot him, Aledda answered, “I don’t know.” This prompted protesters to chant “’I don’t know’ is not enough!” outside of the police station.

To add insult to injury, after shooting Kinsey, cops proceeded to put him in handcuffs rather than call an ambulance. And in a disgraceful attempt to defend officer Aledda, the Police Benevolent Association explained that Aledda was trying to shoot Rios, the 26-year-old autistic man, but missed.

Once they all squeezed inside the police station, protesters demanded complaint forms, so that each person there could file an official complaint against Aledda. The police told the activists that they do not have official complaint forms or an official mechanism for filing their complaints, so police tore out pieces of paper from a notepad and handed them out.

Activists felt slighted by this action, knowing that complaints on random pieces of paper would not be taken seriously. So they used the papers to also write up speeches that they later delivered, explaining why they were there and why communities across the nation must keep fighting for justice.

Many of the protesters at the sit-in were teachers, who explained that police brutality is an issue that affects their students on a daily basis and that they feel they must speak out against. Some even spoke about how teachers are trained and certified in interacting with students with emotional and behavioral disabilities and mental disabilities. One teacher in attendance asked, “Why aren’t these police officers trained to deal with mental breakdowns and people with disabilities the way we are? Why was their first instinct to shoot? Can you guarantee us that our autistic children will not be victims of police brutality?”

This was the second protest at the North Miami Police station for Charles Kinsey, and activists vowed to continue fighting until the police officer is fired and put on trial.

#NorthMiamiFl #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #POWIR #SouthFlorida #CharlesKinsey

Cassia Laham of People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR) in Fort Lauderdale states, “The South Florida anti-war and pro-Palestine communities have been mobilizing for Rasmea ever since her case first went to trial. We understand the importance of keeping this amazing Palestinian hero out of jail. She survived the unlivable horrors in occupied Palestine at the hands of Israeli soldiers, and, instead of coming to the U.S. and forgetting her homeland, Rasmea began organizing in the streets of Chicago for immigrant rights, women's justice and against police brutality. She is a relentless warrior and we have supported her through this witch-hunt against her and we will continue to do so in Cincinnati at her trial.”

Laham continued, “If one 67-year-old woman can survive occupation and torture at the hands of Israeli military, come to the U.S. and continue organizing for justice even after her imprisonment, then surely the pro-Palestine community can mobilize in her defense!”

A rally will take place in front of the Federal Courthouse at 8:00 a.m., Oct. 14, and supporters will attend the hearing.

#FtLauderdale #FL #Palestine #PoliticalPrisoners #Florida #GrandJuries #PoliticalRepression #POWIR #RasmeaOdeh #SouthFlorida