Thousands Join Pro-Palestinian Protests in Los Angeles
Pro-Palestinian protestors at the Pershing Square in L.A., California, U.S., Oct. 5, 2024. Photo: Xinhua
October 7, 2024 Hour: 2:30 pm
Many demonstrations across the U.S. called for a just and lasting resolution to the ongoing war in Gaza.
On Saturday, a thousand pro-Palestinian protestors packed Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles, their chants echoing through the streets as the first anniversary of Oct. 7, a date marking the start of the ongoing Israeli genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. The demonstration, one of many across the United States, called for a just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian conflict.
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“We’re here to bring awareness to the dire plight of Palestinians in areas occupied illegally by Israel. The United States should stop using our tax dollars to assist Israel in conducting genocide against Palestinians in their own homeland,” said Marta, a protestor who was among the many beating drums and plastic tubs, chanting, “Free, free, free Palestine!”
“We need to hold Israel accountable for war crimes,” “It’s genocide, pure and simple,” and “Resistance is justified when people are occupied,” were some of the slogans chanted by the U.S. citizens, among whom was Betha, a young protestor wearing a hijab.
Others waved handmade banners and hoisted dozens of Palestinian flags, while vibrant signs filled the crowd with messages reading “End the occupation now,” “Stop U.S. aid to Apartheid Israel,” and “Let Gaza Live!”
The recent series of pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses started in 2023 and spread rapidly across the United States and Europe over the past year, leading to thousands of arrests in the country and some temporary university closures, including Columbia University in New York City.
Recent polls indicated a shift in U.S. public opinion, with increasing support for Palestinian rights and criticism of Israeli policies. A May 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 53 percent of Democrats and 43 percent of Independents now sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis.
Protestors at the scene also cited the need to immediately halt Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, to protect Palestinians from Israeli military actions, settler violence, home displacements, and restrictions on movement, and to provide them with access to clean water, food, and medical care.
teleSUR/ JF Source: Xinhua
