From sunny California to icy Chicago
Support for Palestine echoes across U.S.
By Deirdre Griswold
Palestinian demonstrations had already been scheduled in
many U.S. cities for Saturday, March 30, to mark Land
Day--annual protests over Israel's occupation of Palestinian
lands where the demand is raised that those in exile be allowed
to return to their homeland.
But then came the news that Israeli forces had invaded the
major Palestinian cities on the West Bank and were holding
President Yasser Arafat hostage. As word got around of the
worst brutality against Palestinian civilians since the 1948
expulsions, shock and horror turned into a determination to
turn these demonstrations into a mass outpouring by
Palestinians and their supporters.
From sunny California to ice-bound Chicago, from Atlanta to
Seattle, thousands turned out over the weekend to demand Israel
get out of the occupied territories and to support the heroic
Intifada. It was the most spontaneous and massive sign yet of
the growing support for the Palestinian struggle in this
country.
Here's a summary of reports received by this newspaper.
3,000 protest in Los Angeles
By the time the march kicked off, 3,000 people were
shouting, "Sharon/Bush you can't hide, we charge you with
genocide" and "Hey, hey, ho, ho, the occupation has got to
go."
Demonstrators demanded an end to the killing of innocent
Palestinians by Israeli military forces and for an immediate
end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.
The march and rally included people from throughout the
Southern California region, Palestinians and Arab-Americans,
peace, religious and community groups. There was a diversity of
racial and ethnic representation and a large participation of
youth.
A procession of coffins draped with the Palestinian flag
lined each side of the march in commemoration of the more than
1,200 Palestinian men, women and children who have been
murdered by the Israeli military. Hundreds of Palestinian flags
were carried in solidarity with the national and political
aspirations of the Palestinian people.
Speakers included Michel Shehadeh, Western Region Director
of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC);
Maggie Vascassenno of the International Action Center; and Jim
Lafferty of the National Lawyers Guild.
San Francisco: Refugees speak
Some 1,000 people marched down Market Street to UN Plaza in
a militant protest against the reign of terror by the U.S.
against the Palestinian people. The demonstration was organized
by the ADC San Francisco and the Free Palestine Alliance.
Featured at the ending rally were two young Palestinian women
from the Dheisheh refugee camp that is under siege by Israeli
forces.
Seattle: 20 groups call action
At least 700 Arab people and their supporters, led by
Palestinians, marched through downtown Seattle on Land Day to
protest the U.S./Israeli war and occupation of Palestine. The
action was called by 20 organizations, including Arab, social
justice and peace groups. On March 18, 250 people had rallied
in front of the INS building here to protest the arbitrary
detention of three members of the Hamouis family, who come from
Syria. Safouh, Hanan and Nadin Hamouis--the father, mother and
daughter--had all been arrested at gunpoint in late February by
the INS and FBI under the secretary of state's absconder
initiative. Rallies will be held every Thursday until their
release.
Chicago: 1,000 march in freezing rain
More than 1,000 protesters braved snow and freezing rain on
April 1 to march on the Israeli Consulate demanding an end to
the U.S.-backed war on the Palestinian people. They came mainly
from Chicago's Palestinian, Arab American and Muslim
communities, with support from anti-war activists. The protest
came just two days after 250 people had held a very vocal vigil
in the upscale "Miracle Mile" shopping district to oppose
Israeli terror.
The downtown march and rally were initiated by the Coalition
for Justice in Palestine. The demonstration demanded an end to
the occupation, to Israeli violence and to U.S. aid to Israel.
It called for the right of return for the Palestinians.
Community organizers have called for another demonstration
at the Israeli Consulate April 6 at noon. Leaders of the
Palestinian, Arab and Muslim communities have vowed to pull out
all stops in bringing people to Washington April 22 to protest
at the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee, widely regarded as the most powerful pro-Israel
lobbying group in the United States. That conference features a
joint appearance of George W. Bush and Ariel Sharon and will be
met with a massive protest.
Dearborn: 5,000 march against occupation
In this suburb of industrial Detroit, where there is a large
population of Arab workers, nearly 5,000 marched to City Hall,
led by a contingent of schoolgirls chanting "Money for
education, not for occupation." Speakers at a rally included
State Sen. George Hart, who said that "the genocide against the
Palestinian people must stop." David Sole from the
International Action Center announced the April 20
demonstration against war and racism in Washington, D.C.
Houston: Palestinians crowd downtown
Many hundreds of Palestinians filled the sidewalks around
the building housing the Israeli Consulate. Response from
rush-hour traffic was good. There were a lot of youth and many
families with children in tow, plus elders from the community.
It was a broad display of righteous anger against Sharon and
his U.S. backers who fund the death and destruction in occupied
Palestine.
Members of Houston ANSWER were there as well as university
students and members of the New Black Panther Party. Also, lots
of cops.
Atlanta: Rally at Mandela sculpture
More than 200 people marched to the Israeli Consulate in a
pouring rain chanting and carrying flags and signs. The
demonstration was organized by Al-Awda Georgia and Students
Organizing for Justice. It was supported by the International
Action Center, Federation of Indian Leftists, and the American
Friends Service Committee, among others. A rally was held at a
sculpture celebrating the release of Nelson Mandela from
prison.
Thanks to John Parker, Bill Hackwell, Jim McMahan, Bill
Massey, Cheryl LaBash, Gloria Rubac, James Raynor, and Deirdre
Griswold for these reports.
Reprinted from the April 11, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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