Aug. 7 — Hundreds of people marched through the streets of the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn tonight demanding freedom for Palestine. People came from their homes along the route to show support in this heavily Arab community.
The Day of Resistance was called by Within Our Lifetime-United for Palestine and the NY4Palestine Coalition. WOL posted on Facebook: “We will be taking to the streets again to not only reject the criminal annexation plan, but against the entirety of the Zionist colonial project from the river to the sea.”
One of the most popular chants was “We don’t want two states! We want ‘48!” This voiced opposition to the phony “peace plans” that have continually robbed the Palestinian people of their land. It expressed the determination to return to a united Palestine, as it was before 1948.
The action started with a rally on Brooklyn’s Fifth Avenue near 72nd Street. People stood listening in the doorways of the Arab shops that line the street.
Within Our Lifetime chair Nerdeen Kiswani emceed the rally and tirelessly led the crowd in chants. Kisawani expressed solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement that is shaking the United States and the world.
A contingent came from nearby Sunset Park carrying Mexican flags and a sign saying “Mexicanos con Palestina” (Mexicans with Palestine).
Lamis Deek of Al-Awda NY, a Palestinian human rights attorney and longtime activist and organizer, denounced Donald Trump and called for liberation from the racist settler state. She denounced the hypocrisy of Israeli leaders for offering “aid” to Lebanon after they have killed thousands of Lebanese people by bombings and invasions.
A speaker from BAYAN expressed the solidarity of the Filipino people with Palestinians.
Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss expressed support for a united Palestine without Zionist occupation. While there was a tiny counterdemonstration of Zionists across the street — who carried a “Trump 2020” flag — there were more Jewish people attending the Palestinian Day of Resistance.
It started raining while people marched through the streets. That didn’t stop protesters, who rallied again at the end.
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!
SLL photos: Stephen Millies
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