Thousands mobilize for march for Palestine in DC

Washington, D.C. – On Saturday, April 5, thousands of people from across the U.S. gathered in the nation’s capital for the National March for Palestine. The demonstration was called to protest the resumed bombings in Gaza, detainment of student activist Mahmoud Khalil, and demonstrate the overwhelming support of the people for an arms embargo on the Zionist entity.

The crowd was composed of several contingents, such as the “Filipinos for Palestine,” contingent which had its own meet up and pre-march rally just before the event. The contingent featured several DC organizations – including the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR), Freedom Road Socialist Organization DC, Anakbayan DC, and International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS) Baltimore-DMV – and drew on the connections between the struggles of repression of students in the U.S. and abroad in the Philippines and in Gaza.

“The students have long been at the forefront of the people’s movements,’ said Jon Abraham of DCAARPR, “As this current reactionary administration tries to intimidate and politically repress student protesters, it is more important than ever for us to stand in solidarity. Today’s mobilization is proof that we will not take this lying down. We must defend the students, because when we fight back, we win!”

The national march began with chanting. “When students’ rights are under attack, what do we do?” thousands of voices echoed in call-and-response, “Stand up, fight back!”. Further chants of “Not another penny, not another dime! No more money for Israel’s crimes!” and “Free, free Palestine!” rang out before the start of the program.

The demonstration featured speakers such as a representative of the Palestinian Youth Movement, as well as community members with direct connections to the ongoing repression. A friend of Mahmoud Khalil read a letter to the crowd that from Khailil’s wife.

The demonstration then turned into a march, with thousands mobilizing down the streets of DC, past the Capitol building and eventually stopping at the ICE Building. There, several organizers took to their microphones to highlight the ongoing attacks against immigrants in the U.S. The march then continued, with chants of “Gaza! Gaza!” and “When immigrants are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” until reaching the front lawn of the Washington monument.

“I will end with a quote from Mahmoud Khalil’s ‘Letter to Columbia’ that was published yesterday,” said Jon Abraham in his earlier speech, “‘We believe that it is the highest honor of our lives to struggle for the cause of Palestinian liberation. The student movement will continue to carry the mantle of a free Palestine. History will redeem us, while those who were content to wait on the sidelines will be forever remembered for their silence.’”

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