New Orleans, LA — About 50 students and community members rallied on Wednesday, April 15, in protest outside an event hosting two Israeli Defense Forces reservists. The event was called “Triggered: From Combat to Campus,” and was hosted on Tulane University’s main campus by Students Supporting Israel.

“I still remember that when Students for a Democratic Society demanded that Tulane end its overwhelming support for Israel, Tulane threw the book at those students,” said Silas Gillett of Student for a Democratic Society (SDS).

Gillett continued, “They suspended them, they kicked them out of their housing. Now they have the gall to bring these evil IDF war criminals on campus instead of their own students!”

The protest was organized by Together United Louisiana (TUL) SDS with support from over a dozen other student and community organizations to demand an end to Tulane’s support for Israel. At the event inside, IDF reservists Yossi Hertz and Lior Biran tried to defend Israel, but they could not speak without hearing the chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” and “Lock them up” from the rally outside.

While organizers decried the genocide of Palestinians and the IDF’s attacks on Iran and Lebanon, a small group of students waved an Israeli flag at the protest. Sruly Heller, speaking for New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports, addressed them, saying, “You absolutely desecrate the memories of our ancestors when you hold up your Zionist flags like that. My Bubbe has no cousins, and they didn’t die for your Zionist bullshit. Shame on you!”

Addressing the crowd on behalf of the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), Leila Abu-Orf said, “I’ve watched my family home, my birthright, the one that we built after we were kicked out of our ancestral village of Isdud, now Ashdod, be burnt to rubble.” Abu-Orf continued to address the soldiers directly, firing up the crowd, “You are a band of cowards who use an AI-powered program to track your targets for drones while you shit yourself from the comfort of your armored tank out of fear of the flip-flopped freedom fighter approaching you!”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #Palestine #AntiWarMovement #StudentMovement #IDF #NOSHIP #Tulane #SDS

New Orleans, LA – The Democratic National Committee met in New Orleans this week at the Hilton Riverside for their annual spring meeting. The conference rang in its second day on April 10, and blue leaders went red in the face when members confronted them on Palestine.

The spring meeting is a strategy session and networking opportunity for candidates and other members. It gives members a chance to lobby for cities to hold the 2028 Democratic National Convention. But the rising opposition to Israel drove the agenda. Several nonbinding anti-war resolutions were on the docket, although none passed. Among other causes, these resolutions condemned AIPAC, demanded an independent investigation into Trump’s massacre at a girls’ school in Minab, and set conditions for U.S. aid to Israel. Activists inside and outside the conference made their solidarity with Palestine known.

During a general session, Democratic activist and nurse India Walton stood up and interrupted the speakers. “Why are you afraid of AIPAC? Be afraid of voters!” she shouted. Walton ran a credible challenge to the incumbent Buffalo mayor in 2021. She previously served as a representative with the Service Employees International Union and was a leader in the George Floyd uprising.

Activists from New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) spoke up alongside Walton. “Free, free Palestine!” Charlie Marcotte chanted.

Outside the hotel, about 30 people protested the DNC’s lack of opposition to Israeli and U.S. wars.

“We will fight every single day, we will introduce these resolutions, we will protest, we will do everything we damn can to stop this genocide,” speaker Cameron Landin addressed the crowd. Landin is the Political Affairs Director for College Democrats of America, and served as a delegate for Georgia at the 2024 DNC. He sponsored the spring meeting’s resolution against AIPAC.

A mobile billboard truck showed a display reading “Release the autopsy!” It referred to an internal report that allegedly identifies the genocide in Gaza as an important reason for Harris’s failed 2024 presidential bid.

Protesters chanted “No boots on the ground, no jets in the air – U.S. out of everywhere!” and “They tell lies and then they bomb, first Iraq and now Iran!”

Organizers of the protest included NOSHIP, Democratic Socialists of America, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #Palestine #Iran #AntiWarMovement #NOSHIP #DNC

New Orleans, LA — 10,000 people gathered in New Orleans on Saturday, March 28 to join the No King’s Day protest against Donald Trump’s racist agenda. The protest was one of thousands in a nationwide day of action that mobilized millions of people.

“I didn’t spend my childhood being spat on and screamed at so that we could quit now. Today, I’m telling you, stand up, speak up, fight back,” said Leona Tate, reflecting on her experience as one of four Black girls who first attended segregated public schools in New Orleans. Tate continued, “This is not what we marched for. This is not what we bled for. I am 71 years old and I’m still fighting, so what are you going to do to join me?”

As the crowd of thousands took to the streets, they chanted “No more deportations,“ and “Hands off Iran now!” A banner at the front of the march read, “Fight Trump’s agenda! No to deportations! No to U.S. attacks and war!”

After the march, Charlie Schully addressed the crowd on behalf of New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP), “The $200 billion Trump wants to spend on the war on Iran could pay for over 27 million Americans to have their health insurance covered by Medicaid, which Trump just cut with his ‘big beautiful bill.’”

Schully concluded, “Organizing people power is the only way we can get these crooked politicians to take our hard earned money away from the war profiteers and put it into services that benefit us.”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #PeoplesStruggles #NoKings #AntiWarMovement #NOSHIP

New Orleans, LA – On Sunday, March 15, the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN) and New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) held a rally in front of Jackson Square condemning the U.S.’s attacks on Iran. 40 community members and activists rallied at Jackson Square and marched through the New Orleans French Quarter and back to Jackson Square once again.

“When the U.S. and Israel carried out a mass extermination campaign against the Palestinian people, Iran was one of the only countries in the world to stand with the Palestinian resistance,” said Silas Gillett of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Gilbert continued, “FRSO is here today to stand side by side with Iran in fighting back against U.S. imperialism.”

Warren Tustix from NOSHIP ended his speech with a call to the crowd, “We say no to Western imperialism, to big oil selling death around the world, to the U.S. global AI war machine, to war with Iran, and to war anywhere!”

While marching down the historic tourist-packed Bourbon street, the crowd chanted “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air. U.S. out of everywhere!” and “From the belly of the beast, hands off the Middle East!”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #AWAN #NOSHIP

New Orleans, LA – On March 3, New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) hosted a rally and march against the escalatory U.S. sanctions against Cuba and Venezuela as well as the unprovoked attacks against Iran that have killed upwards of 900 people.

The protesters marched through the French Quarter and gained supportive cheers and fist pumps from workers and tourists alike.

Speakers at the event pledged to continue the solidarity with nations attacked by U.S. imperialism and the oppressed nationalities and communities here in the United States. Mich González from the New Orleans-based Sanctuary Now Abolition Project (SNAP) referred to colonized peoples saying, “We are testing grounds all the time for the policies of imperialism and victimization.”

Luke Rojas Nogueira of the Communist Party USA also spoke in support of imperialized nations saying, “Cuba never kidnapped my neighbors and deported them far from their homes. It wasn't the knee of an Iranian that crushed the neck of George Floyd.” He continued “Our enemies have never been abroad, and those who oppressed us here are the same people who drop bombs that are brothers and sisters in Latin America, West Asia, and Africa.”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #Cuba #Venezuela #NOSHIP

New Orleans, LA – On Saturday afternoon, February 28, community organizations, activists and concerned residents gathered outside the Hale Boggs Federal Building in downtown New Orleans oppose the recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

As most Americans woke up to find out that their country is embroiled in a full-out conflict, local organizations had to quickly organize. Over 150 people attended the protest, with over 13 organizations endorsing or participating.

At the protest, the speakers touched on the background of the recent escalation, the role of U.S. imperialism across the globe and connections with Palestine. However, nearly all the speakers hit upon a consistent theme: the need to resist this war here, within the United States.

Zach Dowling, a representative of New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) said while other countries resist the results of imperialist aggression, here domestically we can fight at its very root.

Charlie Schully, on behalf of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) stated, “A critical issues poll was taken in the first weeks of February of over 1000 respondents by the University of Maryland. Do you know what percentage of people, overall, supported going to war with Iran? Twenty-one percent.”

“The masses have a collective memory. We know that there is no reason to support going to war against a people who want nothing but to live,” Schully continued, referencing a list of U.S.-perpetrated interventions including Iraq, Palestine, Venezuela, Cuba, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Ukraine and many others, with the new addition of Iran.

“It’s easy to get pessimistic by seeing the constant attacks and wondering what you can do,” said Dowling at the conclusion of his speech. His answer to this pessimism was a call to action. “Join organizations in your community that are dedicated to anti-imperialism, opposing genocide, and the genocidal U.S. foreign policy,” Dowling concluded.

The rally finished with a march to Canal Street and back to the Federal Building, accompanied by supportive honks from cars and cheers from pedestrians.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #NOSHIP

New Orleans, LA – On Sunday, November 23, two dozen activists packed a room for a panel about Venezuela and the U.S.’s escalating aggression and war against it. Freedom Road Socialist Organization organized the panel in collaboration with leaders from the student and anti-war movements.

The United States is amassing ever more troops and ships in the Caribbean Sea, creating a legitimate threat of a full-scale invasion and/or a bombing campaign. Trump’s rhetoric and actions against Venezuela are escalating.

The panel featured New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP), a local anti-war and anti-Zionist organization, and Tom Burke of the national Anti-War Action Network (AWAN). A local chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) also participated.

“We as students are set to inherit a world of both suffering and exploitation,” said Navya Prakash, speaking on behalf of SDS. “We were promised opportunity, a life that would be better. What we’re getting instead is another war we do not need.”

This disillusionment is one of the primary reasons why students are so active in the anti-war struggle. In the last two years it was seen sharply with encampments, protests and divestment campaigns on the campuses of Tulane and Loyola Universities, as well as other schools.

Another point emphasized was the extrajudicial killings currently committed by the U.S. Navy in the Caribbean Sea. Over 80 people from five countries have been killed in the bombings of civilian fishing and transport boats, vessels the Trump administration labels “drug boats.”

“There is no evidence, there’s no trial, there’s no jury. Just utter destruction and death of innocent people,” stated Burke.

In his presentation, Burke highlighted the resilience of the Venezuelan people against U.S. attacks and intimidation, whether it be bombs, economic sanctions or outright kidnapping of Venezuela’s diplomat Alex Saab.

From first-hand accounts of his trips, Burke also spoke on how Venezuela is taking action to revamp its whole economy. Venezuela is achieving self-sufficiency, especially in important sectors such as agriculture. Burke noted the democratic nature of Venezuelan economic development, where the average worker gets a say and a vote in many development projects. He contrasted it with the chaos of the U.S., where corporations get free reign.

In a recent student conference in Venezuela, President Maduro called for U.S. students to stand against Trump’s aggression.

“Solidarity between the two countries is what’s going to bring U.S. imperialism down to its knees,” said Prakash of SDS.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #NOSHIP #AWAN

New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, October 18, more than 10,000 people rallied on the Lafitte Greenway’s Great Lawn to protest Trump’s agenda. Saturday’s protest was one of 2700 actions planned for No Kings day across the United States.

The rally was one of New Orleans’ largest ever, with the people chanting “No kings, no Trump!” Indivisible also added the demand for “No troops” into the branding of the event, to fight back against Trump and Landry’s plan to send the National Guard to cities across Louisiana including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Alexandria.

Before the action, Indivisible organizers encouraged demonstrators to descend down to the Great Lawn from every direction, taking the Greenway as a chance to march in contingents and affiliate groups. Students for a Democratic Society chapters from Tulane and Loyola Universities led a student contingent of 30 people to the rally, carrying a banner that read, “Dare to struggle, dare to win!” A Palestine contingent stood together waving flags. Some contingents showed up in costume. A group of women showed up in hairnetted wigs and red aprons labeled “Aunt Tifa” and various inflatable costumes from frogs to crawfish littered the crowd.

Grassroots organizations tabled around the perimeter to get attendees involved in the broader movement.

Speakers included immigrant rights activists and ACLU representatives, in addition to cultural performances. Notably, among policing and attacks on democracy, Palestine was one of the issues in the forefront. Hakm Murad of the Palestinian Youth Movement challenged the crowd, saying the resistance against Donald Trump needs to stand in solidarity with people across the world oppressed by U.S. intervention.

“Palestine is a litmus test for all of us! Our enemy is not just one president, we need to take down the whole empire,” Murad said to applause.

As the program for the rally ended, many in the crowd wanted to keep the action going. Activists in the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) led chants and slowly exited the field, drawing a crowd of about 150 people back down the Greenway chanting, “Trump says get back, we say fight back!” and “Hands off Palestine, hands off Venezuela!”

The impromptu march landed under the North Claiborne bridge, where the architecture amplified the chants of the crowd and the speakers.

“Trump is a good-for-nothing billionaire that gets rich off of our exploitation. Being president is the most lucrative gig he’s had yet. Trump has no business running this country and no business telling us what the hell to do. We run this, not Trump,” declared Toni Mar, member of the FRSO.

“Because of the steadfast resistance of the Palestinian people and their supporters, the tide is turning against Israel, and more importantly against all U.S. imperialism,” stated Cristine Farah, member of New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP). Farah called on those who stuck around for the march to join NOSHIP's campaign to kick Chevron, Israel’s number one supplier of fuel, out of sponsoring the New Orleans French Quarter Festival.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #ImmigrantRights #NOSHIP #NationalGuard #InJusticeSystem #Trump #PeoplesStruggles

New Orleans, LA – On September 21, around 70 people rallied and marched in response to recent attacks on the Gaza strip and also in support of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. Demands included “Hands off Gaza City!” “Hands off Mahmoud Khalil!” and “Arrest Netanyahu!”

As protesters gathered to hear speeches, chants of “Resistance is justified when Palestine is occupied!” and “Palestine is our demand, no peace on stolen land!” kept the crowd energized and unified under the banner of Palestinian liberation. Speakers expressed indignation at recent news reports about the IDF’s genocidal incursion into Gaza City.

“My uncle lives in a tent in Khan Younis, he says he can hear the bombing get louder in Gaza City. It’s worse than normal. That was two weeks ago, and now tanks are rolling into the city. It’s time to wake up!” said Leila Abu Orf, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement in New Orleans.

Israel increased the scale of the genocide by targeting civilian infrastructure, destroying 20 high rise city blocks in the past two weeks. Although states like Canada, Britain and Australia debate recognition of an independent Palestinian state, people took to the streets to demand concrete measures to end the genocide now.

Agitated protesters cried, “Hands off Mahmoud now!” responding to the doubled-down efforts to deport Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil.

“They've been trying to repress our movement for so long, and they're continuing to try and repress our movement and the people at large. When they send ICE agents to arrest Mahmoud Khalil or anybody else that stands in solidarity with Palestine, we fight back!” shouted Shreyas Vasudevan, an organizer with New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP).

Mahmoud Khalil, a fighter for Palestinian liberation who took on an important role in the Columbia University Popular University for Gaza encampment, recently faced a ruling by a Louisiana immigration judge that he must be deported to Algeria or Syria. Khalil was freed from an immigration prison on June 20 after months of organizing around his case.

“NOSHIP calls for the arrest and prosecution of the puppet prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been warmly invited to the White House. Several hours ago, Netanyahu publicly threatened every country on Earth that was recognizing Palestine with American military violence,” said Charlie Schully, an organizer in NOSHIP. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an international war criminal and helmsman of the Palestinian genocide, is set to speak at the United Nations Assembly in New York City. Calls for his arrest are widespread across the United States and the world.

Activists directed the crowd to take the movement to a new level by organizing to fight back and play an active role in Palestinian liberation.

“The Palestinian resistance is winning in the streets, the tunnels, on land and on the seas! We must support them as they kick this crumbling empire on its way down, and we say that is a very good thing!” said Serena Sojic-Borne of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #NOSHIP #PYM #FRSO

New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, June 14, over 5000 New Orleanians took to the streets for a No Kings Day parade protesting Trump’s military parade in DC. Indivisible NOLA hosted the local action, and dozens of organizations joined as “sub-Krewes” along with brass bands and drummers honoring the city’s parade culture.

The event marked one of the largest turnouts to protest in the city’s history. Community organizations, political groups and cultural groups all united under the banner to fight against Trump’s repressive agenda. Signs reflected the broad coalition of forces condemning federal attacks, with the most prominent message demanding an end to the Trump administration’s deportations and ICE raids.

At the front of the parade, protesters chanted, “It is right to rebel! Donald Trump, go to hell!” and “Stop family separations, fight against the deportations!”

The march circled through New Orleans’s Marigny neighborhood, passing by residents cheering from their porches and doorsteps. The unity of the crowd’s chants was amplified by houses and buildings, uplifting solidarity and a fighting spirit.

The parade ended at Washington Square Park, where attendees gathered to chant and hear speeches. As the crowd rolled into the park, energy remained high despite the 90-plus-degree heat and humidity. Antonia Mar of Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “Donald Trump thinks that by parading around his military and attacking our immigrant neighbors he can intimidate us. Are we afraid? No! We have a right to rebel, we have a right to freedom, we have a right to a life of dignity. And we’re going to fight for it, goddamn it!”

The crowd roared with cheers, echoing “When we fight, we win!” Other speakers highlighted Trump’s attempts to abuse his office and the need to organize against him.

The Palestine solidarity movement also united with the action to uplift the call for an end to the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. The organization New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) led a large pro-Palestine contingent, demanding an end to U.S. support for Israel as it continues to starve Palestinians and provoke war with Iran.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #NoKings #ImmigrantRights #AntiWarMovement #NOSHIP

New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, May 17, New Orleans organizers and community members gathered in the Jackson Square amphitheater in New Orleans’ French Quarter, drawing attention from onlookers and tourists about the 77th anniversary of the Nakba – or catastrophe – perpetrated against the Palestinians.

Over 100 community members took to the streets to remind New Orleans that the for-Palestine movement will not stop until the city divests from the apartheid state of Israel. They held signs reading, “The Nakba is happening now” and “200k + Palestinians displaced in Gaza, 40k+ displaced on the West Bank in the past year.”

Leaders from the local chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement emphasized the importance of a “people’s embargo” on entities involved in arming Israel, such as the logistics and shipment company Maersk, which is in charge of shipping U.S.-manufactured weapons from the top five weapons manufacturers to Israel.

The march took over the busy streets of the French Quarter, stopping by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office on Canal Street to demand “Free Mahmoud Khalil now!” Khalil, a Palestinian green card holder and student at Columbia university, has been detained by the Trump administration in an immigration facility in Jena, Louisiana for over two months. Located over 1000 miles away from his hometown of New York City, Khalil has been illegally separated from his family for having advocated against the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people.

“We need to let ICE and the Trump administration know that we are watching,” said Hakm Murad from the Palestinian Youth Movement.

The previous day, Friday May 16 at noon, local organization New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) held a rally outside of the New Orleans ICE Field Office, which oversees the detentions in all immigration facilities in Louisiana and more. This rally was the second of a series of rallies to be held by the New Orleans for Palestine Coalition, every Friday at noon for the foreseeable future.

NOSHIP highlighted the importance of uniting all who can be united to fight against Trump’s attacks on the pro-Palestine, immigrant rights, student, and Black liberation movements.

“We are not just here to yell at ICE every week,” said Maya Sanchez, an organizer with NOSHIP. “We have specific demands: we want no collaboration between local police forces and ICE, we want ICE off our campuses now, and we must defend the right to protest for Palestine and beyond. We will bring these demands here every week, and we will also bring these demands to the city council. We will not stop until all those in power either get in line or get out!”

The demand for a sanctuary city has gathered the support of over a dozen local organizations and will be brought forth during a pivotal mayoral election year in New Orleans.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Nakba #Palestine #NOSHIP

New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, February 15, dozens of community members held an emergency rally in front of the Federal Building downtown to protest against Trump’s plans to ethnically cleanse the Gaza Strip.

After Trump’s demands that Palestinians relocate to the neighboring countries of Egypt and Jordan, organizations joined together demanding that the U.S. respect Palestinian sovereignty.

Trump has claimed that he has the right to take Gazan land “under U.S. authority” for real estate development, but the local pro-Palestine movement took the opportunity to remind New Orleanians that “Gaza is not for sale!” as stated by Hakm Murad, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement.

“We are the land, we are rooted in the land, and we are not leaving. That is our message. No calls for ethnic cleansing will be heard here,” Murad continued as folks gathered with signs reading “Resistance until victory!” and “Two heads, same snake,” depicting the U.S and Israeli flags twisted together.

“If Trump and Netanyahu want to displace 2 million people from their rightful homes in Gaza, they will not only have to get through the heroic Palestinian resistance, they will also have to get through 7 billion of us!” said an organizer with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

“The boycott, divest, and sanction movement’s importance is clearer than ever at this very instant. The reality is this: U.S. imperialism, and the bottom line of the few, is what drives the foreign relations of this country” said Zach Dowling, an organizer with New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP).

“As much as they have tried to say that Israeli violence is just ‘self-defense’ – this has never been true. These decades of occupation have only ever been about imperialism, about taking more land and more power with no regard to anyone’s humanity, anyone’s right to freedom and self-determination,” said Ariel Moyal with the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said he and Trump have a “common strategy” for Gaza, as he echoed Trump’s comments, threatening to “let hell break out” if the Palestinian resistance does not release Israeli prisoners held in the Strip. However, rally-goers emphasized which party to the ceasefire agreement has failed to uphold their end of the bargain. “It should come as no surprise to anyone that Israel, the same genocidal state that has broken every international law over the past year, has repeatedly violated the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement,” said Dowling.

The rally, held by Palestinian Youth Movement, NOSHIP, JVP, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, New Orleans Healthcare Workers for Palestine, Together United Students for a Democratic Society and the Party for Socialism and Liberation lasted about two hours. Cars driving down the busy downtown New Orleans streets honked at the waving Palestinian flags in support of the message. These organizations are part of the newly formed New Orleans for Palestine Coalition, which signaled its determination to mobilize the New Orleans community against any future illegal attacks against Palestinians and their lands.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #NOSHIP #PYM

New Orleans, LA – During a visit to New Orleans, Dr. Rabab Abduhadi held an evening talk addressing students, community members and activists about the dangers and impacts of institutional Zionism and ways to combat it in academia and beyond.

On January 11, at the University of New Orleans, Dr. Abdulhadi shared her decades-long experience battling institutionally embedded Zionism, its various modes of operation, and tactics it uses to repress Palestinian activism.

The event was hosted by New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP), University of New Orleans Students for a Democratic Society (UNO SDS), Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and Palestinian Youth Movement New Orleans. Alongside Dr. Abdulhadi were NOSHIP, SJP, and SDS’ own student leaders who have tirelessly built a strong, local student movement over the past year.

As the founding director and Senior Scholar of the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies Program at San Francisco State University, Dr. Abdulhadi’s past and present work is dedicated to fostering critical conversations about Palestinian oppression, resistance and liberation.

Despite the university administration’s unjust cancellation of her Teaching Palestine course, Dr. Abdulhadi successfully held the course on her own accord with over 500 participants. “Zionism is most powerful in university administration,” said an SDS student who spoke of his own repression on a New Orleans campus. “As Dr. Abdulhadi mentioned, the administration is the enemy of the students and their allies. When we want divestment or any other progressive demand, we need to be organized and willing to take it.”

Dr. Abdulhadi is a lifelong organizer and public intellectual. She has co-organized delegations to Palestine, and her leadership in various coalitions and boards has been instrumental to advancing the BDS movement on a national and global scale. Inspired by Dr. Abdulhadi’s experience and steadfastness, SJP student activist A’ishah Abdallah shared insights about divestment efforts on UNO’s campus.

“UNO is a powerful organizing house for Palestinian students and their activities,” said Abdallah. “Although we might still face some restrictions, UNO is a public university which gives us some freedom to organize.”

“I don’t lose hope,” said Dr. Abdulhadi towards the end of her talk. “I’ve been a student organizer; I went to my first demonstration at the age of eleven. I believe people will always be able to win. The leadership in the student movement and encampments in this country has been very impressive. I am happy to talk about the past, give the history, but the students will move us forward. You got it, and I tip my hat to you.”

“We are here tonight not just to listen but to strategize, to learn from history, and to leave with a renewed sense of purpose,” said NOSHIP’s Maya Sanchez. NOSHIP, alongside several pro-Palestine organizations in the city, will be leading a Palestine solidarity contingent on January 20 for a citywide march commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr, day, which coincides with the inauguration of President Donald Trump. A broad coalition of various local movements will convene on this day to advance various demands against Trump’s racist agenda, including an end to racist policing, end to attacks on immigrants, end to U.S. aid to Israel, and defending the right to unionize and strike.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #StudentMovement #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #SDS #NOSHIP #SJP

New Orleans, LA – On the night of December 11, organizers and activists marched towards the Audubon Tea Room at the beginning of “FedFest 2024,” a fundraiser hosted by the Jewish Federation, an organization dedicated to supporting the apartheid state of Israel.

The protest commemorated Human Rights Day (December 10). Among the groups organizing the noise demonstration were Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP).

The event began at 7 p.m., with protesters arriving soon after and staying for roughly two hours. Attendees with keffiyehs, banners and signs disrupted the event with megaphones, a variety of instruments, and even pots and pans. Signs read slogans such as “NOLA Jews say stop arming Israel!” “JFED funds genocide” and “Fund schools, not genocide! Ceasefire now!”

“JFED, you can’t hide! You’re supporting genocide! No Zionists in NOLA streets!” shouted the crowd.

The Jewish Federations of North America, a national Zionist network of organizations, has spent millions to lobby for the state of Israel. The local chapter, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, has paid for billboards on some of the busiest streets in the city that proclaimed, “No hate in our home.” This was in response to the growing popularity of the Palestinian solidarity movement, and the ceasefire resolution campaign launched over the summer. Protest organizers utilized the imagery of their billboards on banners that replaced the original text with “Zionism is racism” and “No hate in our home (We export hate to Israel)”.

Near the end of the event, participants picketed around the entrance of the Audubon Tea Room before returning to their original positions.

Throughout the fundraiser, various donors paid much attention to the protest. Some looked through the windows, while others walked outside to view the noise demonstration. When the event ended, protesters yelled “Shame!” at the stream of attendees leaving for the night.

#NewOrleansLA #FedFest #NOSHIP #JVP #JFED

New Orleans, LA – Protesters gathered twice at New Orleans Municipal Court during the week of November 18, as six activists who were arrested during the student-led Popular University for Gaza encampment attended their first days of trial.

They all face misdemeanor charges, ranging from trespassing to battery on an officer. The activists were all arrested by Tulane University Police Department in the first hours of the Encampment, which was held for two nights in April and May this year.

Supporters of the defendants held a “phone zap” on Monday to flood the phone lines of the city attorney’s office. They demanded that the city attorney drop all of the trumped-up charges caused by Tulane Police Department arrests. The phone zap was announced the week before the trials and it was organized on a Google spreadsheet, where supporters could sign up for a time slot that would ensure that calls were being made every 15 minutes, throughout the entire day.

On Tuesday, November 19, ten supporters joined Quest Riggs and Sruly Heller in court at 8 a.m. After their trial appearance, the defendants rallied with those who came out.

“We are standing here today and every day for Palestinian liberation. In these times we cannot let our fear stop us. Being on trial, this is just another Tuesday in Trump and Biden’s America,” Riggs said.

“This is a part of the long march for Justice. We are in it,” Heller added.

On Thursday, November 21, over three dozen supporters joined Serena Soljic-Borne and Brenna Byrne in court for their first trial day at 1 p.m. The defendants and their supporters rallied outside of court for an hour before the trial.

“The city attorney knows you’re here,” said Sojic-Borne, addressing the crowd. “The judge knows you’re here, Tulane knows you’re here, and the Port of New Orleans knows you’re here. The only reason they’re repressing us is because we’ve got them on the backfoot,” she said.

New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) hosted the second rally, in recognition that Sojic-Borne’s trial corresponded with the one-year anniversary of NOSHIP members beginning their pressure campaign on the Port of New Orleans. The city’s port is a major U.S. trade route that carries weapons and military technologies from New Orleans to Israel, fueling its genocidal campaign against Palestinians. Throughout the past year NOSHIP has mobilized the community on a monthly basis to attend the meeting of the Port’s board of commissioners and use the public comment as an opportunity to demand New Orleans cut ties with Israel.

At both trial days, Tulane police failed to present arresting officers to speak as witnesses, leaving the prosecutor with no usable evidence in the cases. Two separate judges granted the prosecution continuances, in spite of objections from the defense. This further draws out the cases and increases the amount of time taken off from work for the defendants.

These trials came exactly two months after 14 other encampment arrestees were found not guilty by a judge in New Orleans Criminal Court for similar charges. That verdict marked the conclusion of the first encampment-related trial in the country. In total, nearly 30 students and activists were arrested at Tulane during the encampment, with several more having been arrested during other pro-Palestinian activism on campus.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #StudentMovement #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #SDS #NOSHIP #Feature

New Orleans – On October 7, students walked out of classes at three campuses in New Orleans to protest their universities' ties to Israel. Chapters of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) organized demonstrations for students at Loyola University of New Orleans, Tulane University, and the University of New Orleans. Rallies of about 20 people took place simultaneously outside of Tulane and Loyola campuses at noon.

By 12:30, the rally led by Tulane SDS marched around their campus to join the rally outside Loyola. Students from the two schools combined forces with local allies like New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). Together the crowd of 40 sat in on Saint Charles Avenue, a major road in the area. The students chanted and read the names of Palestinians killed by Israel since October 7 while blocking traffic. The sit-in successfully held the street for over an hour. During the sit-in, students celebrated one year of global resistance to Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza.

“Palestinian liberation won’t happen on a college campus. No liberation movement will. But the Boycott Divest Sanction National Committee is calling on us to fight for divestment!” said Silas Gillette, speaking for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Loyola students carried a large puppet depicting their university’s president Xavier Cole. Cole, who, according to students at Loyola, has refused to meet with them about their demands. Loyola student Juleea Berthelot joined the sit-in on Saint Charles, wearing a red “Popular University for Palestine” t-shirt. They described being fired from their job earlier this year for protesting.

“Two students were fired, and our school newspaper wrote about it, but my boss lied,” said Berthelot. “Those students chose to leave their jobs. I sat in her office and begged for my job because I loved it. But she fired me.”

Another Loyola student, Nour Saad, joined the celebration of the resistance in a black Palestinian Youth Movement shirt. “I honor our warriors in Palestine because I know what it feels like to have the world against you when you’re just trying to fight for your freedom.”

Students at the University of New Orleans (UNO) also walked out in solidarity with the axis of resistance. Students from Xavier University joined the action on UNO's campus. The action was led by both the Palestinian Youth Movement and Students United, a chapter of national Students for a Democratic Society, who demanded an end to weapons manufacturers on UNO's campus. General Dynamics, one of the largest weapons manufacturers in the country, has an IT development center on campus.

“Human rights organizations repeatedly say General Dynamics is a pivotal company in the violation of human rights and war crimes,” said Lucas Harrell, an organizer with UNO Students United. Further confrontation is guaranteed as General Dynamic's role in the Gaza genocide is unfolded to the students.

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New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, October 5, a broad coalition of community organizations rallied at Congo Square for a march to commemorate one year of resistance since the genocide in Gaza began. The action drew a large crowd of about 500 people, whose chants for a free Palestine ricocheted off city walls downtown.

During the rally, speakers emphasized the steadfast endurance of the Palestinian resistance.

“Our people in the homeland inspire us every single day here [in the US] to continue to resist – to stay strong and not give up. Our people endure and that’s what it means to be Palestinian,” said Leila Abu-Orf, a member of the New Orleans chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement.

Participants grew energetic for a continued fight against Zionism in all its forms in the U.S. They demanded an end to U.S. aid to Israel and condemned U.S./Israeli war-mongering aggression in the Middle East.

Juleea Berthelot from Loyola Students for a Democratic Society spoke as a participant in The People’s University for Palestine encampment at Tulane. Berthelot stated the student movement would continue to show its solidarity by fighting for universities to disclose and divest from Israel. “The fight will continue for as long as it takes to see a free Palestine. Solidarity is our most powerful tool, and we will wield it like a weapon – because it is!” Berthelot said.

After the rally, the people took the streets and marched down Canal Street, New Orleans’s busiest commercial corridor. The crowd chanted, “We will be victorious! Resistance is glorious!” as Palestine flags waved high above their heads. A Palestinian child led a chant, “Intifada, intifada!” After a long route, the march concluded at Congo Square.

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New Orleans, LA- On the evening of Wednesday, September 25, close to 100 New Orleanians gathered in front of the Federal Building to protest Israel’s increased offensive in Lebanon and the U.S. government’s continued facilitation of Israel’s atrocities.

The rally began by paying tribute to Khalifa Ibn Rayford Daniel, who was mercilessly executed by the State of Missouri the day before. Despite the prosecution’s serious doubts regarding the integrity of his conviction and pleas from his family, the State refused to grant Daniel clemency.

“Imam Khalifa, from his prison cell, saw the connection between the occupation and terror attacks on the Arab world and his own oppressors here. The America that sends a never-ending supply of bombs to Israel has no more humanity for its own citizens than for the citizens of Palestine and Lebanon,” said a NOSHIP member. “Let me remind you how the U.S. went from killing 1 million people in Iraq over 20 years to funding at least 50,000 murders in Gaza in one year, to now 500 people in one day in Lebanon,” she continued.

Speakers highlighted the sheer scale of Israel’s atrocities towards the people of Lebanon. Last week, Israel carried out two bombing campaigns. It detonated thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies indiscriminately, killing hundreds and maiming thousands, including children and first-responders all throughout the country. Israel followed its terrorist attack with an increased air offensive against the South of Lebanon earlier this week. It issued evacuation orders akin to those spread throughout Gaza over the past year, to make room for Israel’s spree of abject destruction extending as far north of the country as the Beqaa Valley.

The protest was organized by New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and gathered the support and endorsement of close to a dozen organizations including Loyola and Tulane Students for a Democratic Society, Vote of the Experienced, New Orleans Community Oversight of Police, and Democratic Socialists of America.

“Our government is not complicit in this genocide – complicity would be far too kind. They are the perpetrators, they are the murderers,” said Blu DiMarco from the FRSO. In response, the crowd chanted “Shame!” and “End the killing, stop the bombs, Israel out of Lebanon!”

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have done nothing to stop this escalation, and they won’t. This rotten system has forced the people to choose between voting for these genocidal democrats and the xenophobic Trump. We say fuck that, keep fighting back in the streets!” continued DiMarco.

As the sun set over the crowd, the energy carried on as the emcee gave a reminder of a recent local movement win. On Friday, September 20, 14 protesters who were arrested and charged in relation to protests at the Tulane and Loyola popular University for Gaza in last May were found “not guilty” by a New Orleans Criminal District Judge. This was the first trial nationwide regarding student encampment protests. “Who got the power? We got the power!” chanted the crowd.

“Let this be a reminder and a lesson to all of our enemies that when they start a fire, we pour gasoline,” said the an organizer with NOSHIP. “We will continue to speak out, organize, and strike blows against the Zionist entity and its supporters at home. We owe it to ourselves and to the brave fighters in Palestine to struggle against our enemies until the very end, especially when faced with repression,” she continued.

The crowd dispersed after two hours of speeches and chants, with a reminder to reconvene and take the streets of downtown New Orleans on October 5, marking nearly one year of genocide and one year of resistance.

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Activists from cities across the country, including Portland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and New Orleans joined the webinar to learn how to carry out divestment campaigns in their area.

Finn Cunningham, an attendee involved in Palestine solidarity work in Portland, Oregon, said “It was very helpful to hear the specifics from each presenter on what tactics worked in their cities. We will be taking these lessons and applying them to our work at home.”

The Anti-War Action Network plans to host more educational events and is calling for national days of action for Palestine on October 5 through 7. Those interested can follow them on Instagram at @antiwaractionnetwork.

#PortlandOR #OR #AntiWarMovement #AWAN #Palestine #NOSHIP #AWCMN #SJAW

New Orleans, LA – On September 4, 40 students and community members rallied outside of Tulane and Loyola Universities demanding the Tulane and Loyola drop the disciplinary sanctions against students involved in the Popular University for Palestine encampment. They also pushed the demands of each university’s Students for a Democratic Society chapter – disclosure of university investments and divestment from apartheid Israel.

Despite the rainy weather, they chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “The students, united, will never be defeated!” and caught the attention of passersby.

Speakers discussed the repression faced on Tulane and Loyola’s campuses regarding student solidarity with Palestine and the encampment movement. “These [Loyola] students are facing ridiculous conduct charges, and they are now banned from participating in any campus organizations, meaning they can’t be a part of SDS anymore. They now have a clause in the student code of conduct that specifically mentions not damaging lawns” explained Elsie Swedberg, a member of Loyola Students for a Democratic Society. “They know that we won’t stop until our demands are met – we are going to make sure that they sever any relationship, aid or avenue of profit with Israel” she continued.

These two universities are going to great lengths to crush the student movement in New Orleans. Tulane suspended several students who helped lead the Popular University for Palestine encampment in the spring. Loyola tried to ensure that SDS leaders could not organize again by placing them on academic probation and banning them from attending meetings.

“Tulane University would rather send me to jail, would rather take away my scholarships, would rather financially expel me from this university than disclose where they invest the endowment. Tulane would rather expel me than allow a healthy internal democracy to exist” yelled Rory Macdonald, a member of Tulane Students for a Democratic Society facing suspension.

The rally was organized by Tulane and Loyola SDS with organizations NOSHIP (New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports) and New Orleans Musicians for Palestine attending in support of the student movement.

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