Gaza protests reach Democratic Convention

Chicago. Palestine is in Chicago both on and off the Democratic National Convention.

The cries of protesters in the streets of Chicago demanding an end to US government support for Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza were heard as far away as the United Center, where members of the Democratic Party leadership, including its presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, and the head of the White House, Joe Biden, gathered yesterday for the first day of the Democratic National Convention.

Long live, long live, long live the Palestinian struggleLatinos and immigrants in this bilingual city chanted in Spanish during the mile-long march outside the convention site. Others shouted: Stop the American war machine y Free Palestinewaving Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs, expressing the anger of a broad mosaic of sectors, led by young people, and highlighted by an alliance between progressive Muslims and Jews.

More than 5,000 protesters gathered at the call of a coalition of more than 250 organizations dedicated to the struggle for civil rights of minorities, women and the gay community, the defense of immigrants, environmental justice, peace and international solidarity. They decided to put the issue of the Israeli war in Gaza and the American complicity in that genocide at the center of their demands.

Asians for Palestinian Freedom, Jewish Voices for Peace, Latinos for Palestine and more marched alongside Black Lives Matter, immigrants, who chanted: We are in the fight, regularize everyoneamong many others. But what worries the Democratic Party most is that many of the protesters – not all – are considered party members; in fact, the young people who have expressed their anger at US support for the war in Gaza across the country could be key in determining the outcome of the election.

Thousands of protesters called by more than 250 minority rights organizations marched yesterday in Chicago, on the first day of the Democratic National Convention. Photo ‘La Jornada’

But the demand for Harris to support an immediate ceasefire and end arms sales to Israel is not only being voiced outside. Inside the convention, leaders of a group of 30 delegates not committed –those who have not yet cast their votes to endorse Harris’s candidacy– are demanding that the candidate support a ceasefire right now.

“The uncommitted movement is an anti-war, pro-peace movement, so we need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an embargo on U.S. arms shipments to Israel,” said Rema Mohammed, one of the uncommitted delegates elected by 110,000 voters in Michigan as a way of demonstrating her opposition to White House policies. At a news conference at the convention, she noted that tens of thousands of voters in Wisconsin, Minnesota and a dozen other states voted for delegates who insist on a ceasefire.

Kamala Harris is risking losing Michigan and other states because voters there don’t believe they can support her over the war in GazaMohammed said. She was joined by Illinois state Rep. Lilian Jimenez, who identified herself as the daughter of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans and is a delegate to the convention. It is extremely important that we call for a ceasefire and an arms embargo.he declared. The youth in my community are demanding that.They warned that it would not be possible to encourage the youth vote without Harris calling for a change in policy towards Israel and the Palestinians.

Mohammed noted that polls indicate that 83 percent of Democrats support an immediate ceasefire and that even 53 percent of Republicans do so.

Those demanding a cessation of hostilities and an end to U.S. arms shipments to Israel, both inside and outside the convention, insisted they would continue to voice their demands here this week and throughout the election.