Press conference ahead of Saturday's March for Palestine

A rally, march, and vigil protest will be held on October 5th at the State House, alongside worldwide demonstrations.

From a press release:

A coalition of community organizations, medical professionals, business owners, and students from across Rhode Island held a press conference about Rhode Island’s upcoming participation in “One Year of Genocide, One Year of Resistance,” an international week of action for Palestine. A rally, march, and vigil protest will be held on October 5th at the State House, alongside worldwide demonstrations. The event will draw over 1,000 people - making it the largest protest for Palestine in Rhode Island’s history.

“This week and on October 5th, we come together with people across the world for the international day of action for Palestine: ‘One year of Genocide, One year of Resistance,’” said Loubna Qutami of the Palestinian Feminist Collective and the National Shut it Down for Palestine Coalition. “We gather to demand an arms embargo now and an end to all funding to Israel. We will not stop taking action until this genocide in Gaza ends and all of Palestine is free. We will not stop until this brutal assault on Lebanon is ended, and this colonial regime is brought to its knees.”

“While the Zionist regime enjoys the full support of its imperialist backers–namely the United States war machine–everyday people of the world stand with Gaza, the people of Palestine, Lebanon, and with struggles for liberation everywhere,” said Reem Said-Awad of Falasteen Diaspora United. “October 5th will be the biggest showing of support for Palestine that Rhode Island has ever seen. Over the past year, we have held rallies, marches, and vigils, made over 100,000 calls to Rhode Island’s federal delegation, participated in the Uncommitted Movement, interrupted our elected officials’ fundraisers and events, and boycotted companies that profit from Israeli genocide and apartheid.”

“The United States has been the main orchestrator of this genocide against the Palestinian people. The United States funds and arms Israel, and provides the political power and cover for the Zionist entity to act with impunity. Israel is nothing but a colonial outpost in the Middle East set up to protect and advance United States interests in the region, and to also do the United States’s bidding around the world,” said Yosan of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. “As much as the United States and the Zionist entity want to turn the world against Palestine, they will never be able to because the whole world now sees Israel for what it is - a genocidal, fascist, terrorist arm of the United States. Palestine has woken up people of conscience everywhere, including here in Rhode Island,  instigating an international movement against United States imperialism. There is no going back from this.”

“The students of Rhode Island - from high schools, colleges, and universities across the state - will be marching proudly with the Providence community this October 5th to mark one year of genocide and one year of enduring resistance,” said Mimi of Brown University Students for Justice in Palestine. “Over the past decade and year, students, faculty, staff, and community members have demanded that Brown University divest from United States and Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people. But we also know that our fight is not enclosed within the campus gates, nor does it end with our university’s divestment. Rhode Island’s student movement for Palestine will not stop until there is an arms embargo and an end to all United States funding and support to Israel, and until we see a liberated Palestine in our lifetime.”

“Dozens of businesses in Rhode Island have joined Rhode Island Businesses for Palestine,” said Trent Manning, founder and owner of Down the Road Movers moving company. “Over this past year, restaurants have donated water and food to marchers, corner stores and grocery stores have advertised our marches and rallies to their customers, and art galleries, studios, and even doctors offices have opened up their venues for events, art builds and Palestinian dabke dance classes. And this week, 50 Rhode Island businesses and counting have come together to donate to the Shut it Down for Palestine Coalition’s fundraiser for the Middle East Children’s Alliance to support the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in Gaza.”

In the week leading up to the October 5th march, Rhode Islanders are hosting various events, including a mass art day, and a night of performances, featuring anti-colonial dances from Palestine, Brazil, Korea, and Mexico. Businesses across Rhode Island will also donate a portion of their proceeds to a 1 million dollar fundraising campaign to support the people of Gaza. A full events list is available here.