New Orleans Palestine march: ‘This has become the flag of humanity itself’

New Orleans, Aug. 9 – This evening, around 200 people marched for Palestine downtown, at one point taking over Canal Street, the central vein of business and tourism.

Many were gathered for the popular Red Dress Run charity event. Most responses from the crowd were supportive, a handful of Zionist hecklers notwithstanding.

The march was organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement New Orleans and a dozen other organizations, including Party for Socialism and Liberation and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. In the opening rally, a PYM organizer said:

“The Palestinian flag has become the flag of humanity itself, the banner of all those who refuse to accept genocide as normal. That’s you!

“On Thursday, [U.S. representative for Louisiana] Troy Carter was so terrified of Palestinian voices that he shut down an entire federal building with 16 state police cars, for five hours. A 28-story building fortress, all to avoid hearing three simple words: Stop funding genocide!

“But we are here to say what they don’t want to hear. Troy Carter, John Kennedy, Mike Johnson, Steve Scalise – all these people you see in pictures right here next to us – you are guilty!

“Guilty of sending $20 billion of OUR money and weapons while Palestinians eat grass to live. You closed your office to us, but you cannot close your ears to Gaza’s screams. You cannot close your ears to history’s judgement – God’s judgement. And you cannot close the gates of justice that we’re bringing down right now!”