Washington: Protesters Call for Gaza Cease-Fire amid Israeli Onslaught
The protesters, who came from various backgrounds and organizations, started their march in Chinatown and headed towards the Capitol building, chanting slogans in support of Palestinian rights and liberation.
They were met by police barricades that blocked their access to the Capitol grounds, but they continued their demonstration at a nearby intersection.
Chants of "Gaza, Gaza, you will rise, Palestine will never die", "Colonizers, we don't need 'em. What we need is total freedom" and "Up, up with liberation, down down with occupation" filled the air as demonstrators carried out the roughly 1 kilometer procession, Anadolu Agency reported.
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One of the organizers, Mohammad Qasim from the Palestinian Youth Movement, said they were demanding an immediate cease-fire, an end to US military aid to Israel, and accountability for the Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
He said they were putting pressure on the US government, which he called "the heart of empire", to stop its complicity in the Israeli genocide of Palestinians.
Another protester, Steve Crowley, a political science professor at Oberlin University in Ohio, said he was outraged by the Biden administration's failure to act and its continued supply of weapons to Israel.
He said Biden needed to "wake up" and realize that he was losing the support of his base by ignoring the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He said the action needed to happen now, not later.
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The protest came as the Israeli regime continued its relentless bombardment of Gaza, which began after a Hamas attack on Oct. 7. According to the UN, the Israeli assault has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians, displaced 85% of the population, and destroyed or damaged 60% of the infrastructure in the besieged enclave.
In January, the International Court of Justice urged the regime to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Source: Agencies
