Denver commemorates Palestine’s Land Day

Denver, CO – On March 29, in honor of Land Day, between 80 and 100 pro-Palestine protesters gathered at the Denver Tech Center Monument, a location within eyesight of the RE/MAX Headquarters. RE/MAX is infamous for advertising and selling property in occupied Palestine, thus enabling Israel’s apartheid and theft of land in the West Bank.

RE/MAX claims to operate in about 100 countries worldwide. The United Nations says it is responsible for how its Israeli franchises sell houses and apartments in the occupied West Bank. Despite the backlash and controversy, RE/MAX has shamefully maintained its business in occupied Palestine. Advocates of a liberated Palestine are calling for an end to this, recognizing Land Day as a chance to draw attention to the theft of land.

Land Day marks a moment in Palestinian protest history, beginning in 1976 when the people of Palestine participated in general strikes, protests and mass mobilizations to fight back against illegal Israeli theft of land – this resulted in the murder of six Palestinians.

Land Day doesn’t just commemorate the events of the past but also calls attention to the very much alive Palestinian resistance. Land Day echoes the call for a free Palestine from the river to the sea.

Groups in the Colorado Palestine Coalition participated in the action, speaking out against the ongoing genocide, Israel’s breaking of the ceasefire, and the role that RE/MAX plays.

Activist Maggie Gutberlet with Denver Anti-War Action spoke out about how the U.S. military is sponsoring the genocide in Palestine, and the importance of fighting back from the belly of the beast, stating “A violent oppressor will never give us our rights, we must fight for them!”

Gutberlet emphasized that every year on Land Day, “this fight must be remembered and honored,” and instructed attendees to “Keep Palestine in your hearts and liberation in your minds.”

“Indigenous peoples everywhere have a deep connection to the land that has remembered them for generations,” said local indigenous activist Leala Courier, “This is why you will always see a Palestinian protecting their olive trees and why you see Natives here in so-called America defending our land against oil pipelines.”

The importance of solidarity with Palestine was kept front and center. Keegan Estrella, rank-and-file Teamster and member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke about international solidarity and how the struggle of working people here at home is intertwined with the struggle for a free Palestine. They spoke about the billionaires and their politicians, stating, “They don’t care if people are being killed, and they don’t care about Israel breaking the ceasefire. They only care about their own interests, so we as both working-class people and members of the Palestinian community alike must continue to fight for our interests.”

The protesters occupied space right up next to the highway that passed by the demonstration, holding banners reading “Free Palestine” and “End U.S. aid to Israel” visible to thousands of cars passing by, and chanting as they flew Palestinian flags.

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