Hundreds of protesters assembled Sunday afternoon outside San Jose City Hall to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war in a pro-Palestine rally organized by the Bay Area chapter of the group Party for Socialism and Liberation.
This follows an increase in activity by pro-Palestine protesters in the Bay Area and through Northern California in the last several days. Last week, demonstrators shut down the Bay Bridge, halting traffic while President Joe Biden was in San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Summit.
Protesters on Saturday also disrupted the California Democrats convention in Sacramento, halting caucus meetings and events for the day.
An Israeli flag flew from an apartment over a dozen floors up across the street as protesters congregated around city hall’s rotunda. But there were no counter-protesters in sight Sunday.
“Gaza, Gaza you will rise, Palestine will never die,” Protesters chanted. “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israeli crimes.”
U.S. government officials, including President Biden and local congressional representatives, support Israel, characterizing the ground invasion and air attacks on Gaza as self defense.
“We will honor all our martyrs, all our children, sons and daughters,” protesters chanted Sunday, led by Palestinian Rami Asia, who lives in the Bay Area.
The hundreds gathered for a march to Roosevelt Park in downtown, passing through E. Santa Clara St., partially blocking traffic for a few hours. A Community Service Officer halted traffic on the corners of E. Santa Clara St. and 4th St. momentarily.
Israel continues to negotiate with Gaza’s governing party, Hamas, over 200-plus hostages seized in an Oct. 7 cross-border attack, and last month there was a rally and caravan at San Jose City Hall to demand that hostages be freed.
Prior to the rally, a caravan stretched for 20 miles in an effort to draw public awareness. Two hundred cars met at De Anza Park in Sunnyvale, each representing an abductee, reported KRON.
The San Jose protesters on Sunday called for “thawra,” the Arabic word for “revolution.”
