Tampa, FL – On Tuesday, January 16, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied in front of the University of South Florida’s library as part of SDS’s National Day of Action for Yemen.

Around 20 community members and students gathered demanding an end to U.S. attacks on Yemen and an end to U.S. aid to Israel. The protest came in response to the January 12 U.S.-British missile strikes on Yemen.

Protesters chanted for a “Free Palestine!” and gave speeches showcasing the history of U.S. intervention in Yemen, the U.S. funding Israel’s genocide, and the University of South Florida’s relation to Israel. University President Rhea Law has come out in support of Israel but has not commented on Palestinian students’ safety, even though attacks on them have heightened.

Community activists were also present, and a member of the New Era Young Lords gave a speech in solidarity with Palestine and Yemen. Speakers made comments on the hypocrisy of the U.S. government failing to fund people’s basic needs in the middle of a housing crisis in Florida, especially critical in Tampa, while having money for military operations across the world. Tampa is also home to the MacDill Air Force Base from where the attacks on Yemen were ordered, in an area of the city with up to 27% resident poverty rate.

Tampa Bay SDS member Eithne Silva highlighted the importance of student protests against U.S. intervention, stating, “The U.S. is unjustly bombing Yemen, a country they were already destroying through a proxy war led by Saudi Arabia, because they are preventing countries from doing business with the apartheid state of Israel.”

Silva continued, “Yemen is doing the right thing by standing in solidarity with Palestine and it’s important for us as students to speak out against more U.S. intervention and endless wars in the Middle East.”

Joining under the slogans, “Hands off Yemen,” “All eyes on Palestine,” “No war on Yemen” and “End all U.S. aid to Israel,” attendees made their demands clear. They finished by inviting people to come to the statewide mobilization to Tallahassee on Tuesday January 30 at 4 p.m. in the Florida Senate Building to “Stand with Palestine” and defeat SB 470, a bill which threatens financial aid for pro-Palestinian students and visa rights for international students.

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