Tampa Demonstration for Palestinian Freedom
Saturday, over 500 demonstrators, attended a May 15th Nakba Commemoration in Temple Terrace. Nakba, the 1948 catastrophe, is when Zionist forces seized Palestinian and indigenous Arab lands, destroyed their cities and villages, and caused the mass exodus of over 750,000 Palestinians.
Hakeem Abunada stated, “We demand that the United States stop their foreign aid to Israel. We demand that the bombings in Gaza stop, that the expansion of the illegal settlements in Sheikh Jarrah and the West Bank stop. And we demand that the apartheid system that Israel has sustained for so long comes to an end. We are sick and tired of the oppression, the occupation, and the killing of innocent women and children. It’s inhumane, it’s unjust. And occupation and apartheid is not sustainable.”
Bernice Lauredan, from Tampa’s Dream Defenders, also attended the demonstration. “I’m here today to support the Palestinian community who is living under complete occupation conditions right now. And it’s just shocking to see what’s happening over there right now. And, as a black person, I want to stand in solidarity with other oppressed people across the globe. So, I’m here to support Palestine today. And I’m very proud to be here as a supporter.”
The peaceful demonstrators, young and old, of all colors, were united against the atrocities of the Israeli government. They demanded the end of the bombing and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people by Israel. People waved the Palestine flags, chanted “Free Palestine”, and demanded the United States to stop funding Israel.
For further information, see interview with Lara Abu Ghannam, attorney and Florida Coordinator of CAIR-Forida. https://www.wmnf.org/palestinian-human-rights-rally-temple-terrace/
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