Statement from Chicago Antiwar Coalition, October 20, 2023
The large mass rallies and marches in Chicago against the U.S. government-backed Israeli genocidal attacks on Palestinians continue, with another to be held Saturday at 1 beginning at Michigan and Ida B. Wells Drive.
Yesterday a group from the U.S. Palestinian Community Network and supporters, including from Jewish Voice for Peace, sat in at House of Representatives Jan Schakowsky’s office in Skokie demanding that she sign onto a Resolution demanding an Israeli cease fire.
The Resolution demands the Biden Administration stand for a cease fire by Israel against the Palestinians of Gaza and facilitate bringing in humanitarian aid. (BUSHCEASEFIRENOWRESOLUTION (house.gov) This has been signed on to by local Representatives Delia Ramirez, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, and Jonathan Jackson.
Schakowsky called on the police to remove those sitting in the office. A number were arrested but, after phone calls to the police department, were later released without charges. You can see some of the sit-in at Schakowsky’s office and some of the Chicago rallying at facebook.com/USPCN
The people of Ramallah, Hebron, Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, and other cities in the occupied West Bank defied the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces who used live fire to disperse the protests, killing at least one person. Local media reported hundreds of people also marched towards local PA headquarters, demanding more action to confront Israel and support those in the open air prison of the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of Tunisians rallied near the French embassy in Tunisia, calling on their country to immediately expel the French ambassador due to France’s unequivocal support for the crimes of Israel and France’s ban of protests in support of Palestinians.
In Lebanon a large rally took place at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. Similar scenes were repeated in Mauritania, Yemen, Iraq, and throughout Türkiye, in addition to other Arab and Middle Eastern countries.
In Amman, Jordan, hundreds of protesters attempted to storm the Israeli embassy, setting fire to the walls and the gates near the entrance. Jordanian security forces clashed with protesters, and threw teargas canisters, in a desperate attempt at dispersing them.
In Turkey, protesters also gathered near the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, on October 17. More than 60 people were injured, most of them police officers, when police used force to disperse the protest.
(Reportage and photos from TML Monthly Supplement (cpcml.ca))
I hope you will do whatever you can to support this movement. Any comments or questions are welcome.
Featured Image: Chicago Protesters in solidarity with Palestinians