Thousands march in Chicago to oppose Trump’s move on Jerusalem

Chicago, IL – “This is unacceptable – Jerusalem is our capital!” was the chant led by Muhammad Sankari of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), as over 500 people protested in the Federal Plaza in Chicago’s Loop, Dec. 7. An hour later, by the time the crowd arrived at the Israeli Consulate, the march had swelled to 2000 people – in a sea of Palestinian flags and keffiyehs, the traditional Palestinian scarves.

The protest was called in response to Trump’s support for Israel’s occupation of Jerusalem, and the declaration that the U.S. will now recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the apartheid state. The Coalition for Justice in Palestine, made up of all the main organizations in the Palestinian community, called the protest.

Other organizations involved included Jewish Voices for Peace and the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Frank Chapman of the Alliance expressed his solidarity with the Palestinian people. Speaking in the plaza, he explained, “The U.S. developed apartheid here first, to oppress Black people, and we stand in solidarity with the Palestinians in your struggle to overthrow Israeli apartheid.” After saying, “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine,” he closed with, “You have to take back your land.” The mainly Palestinian gathering roared agreement.

In a statement earlier, USPCN said that politicians in both parties in the U.S. government are “only interested in making sure Israel is strong enough to always defend U.S. imperialist interests in the region.”

In response, Palestinians have declared they will continue their fight for their “rights of return, self-determination, liberation and an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

Protests will continue in Palestine and elsewhere for three ‘Days of Rage’ called by many forces in the Palestinian liberation movement.