Protesters rally against sales of stolen Palestinian lands in Los Angeles

A rally held on July 22 near the official residence of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass protested sales of Palestinian lands stolen by the Zionist regime. Organizers of the event include Al-Awda, Unmute Humanity, Yalla Indivisible Co., Justice 4 Palestine, Free Democratic Palestine Movement, and Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice among many others.

The theft of Palestinian lands – particularly in the West Bank – is just one component of the occupation of Palestine which the International Court of Justice has now (finally) declared illegal. The Zionist entity simply declares properties – which may include agricultural lands or even homes occupied by Palestinian people – to be owned by the state. Recently the properties have been sold throughout the United States, often at synagogues, and when activists show up to oppose the land thefts they are accused of antisemitism.

The People’s Power Assembly in Baltimore protested against one such sale in that city, and another demonstration took place at a sale in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York.

During a sale at a Los Angeles synagogue on June 23, pro-Palestinian protesters were assaulted by Zionist thugs who were waiting for them.

Mayor Bass and some LA City Council members, as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom and President “Genocide Joe” Biden, all quickly labeled the protesters as antisemitic after they were assaulted. But there was no worshiping happening on the day of the real estate sale. It was simply sales of property illegally seized by a U.S.-backed genocidal occupier.

In addition to the slander of antisemitism against the protesters, L.A. council member Katy Yaroslavsky proposed granting a million dollars to fund deeper collaboration between the Los Angeles Police Department and former Israeli storm troopers.

The response by the city council, the mayor, and others in the context of the genocide in Gaza, aroused a great deal of anger. Activists who went to the city council meeting that followed the violent attack on the protesters forced the million-dollar grant proposal to be held back. Organizers who demonstrated July 22 are now pushing for Mayor Bass to retract her claims of antisemitism against the protesters and end the sales of stolen land in Los Angeles. The struggle will continue at city council meetings and in the streets of Los Angeles.