Pro-Palestine Protesters Take Streets in Pouring Rain
Updated quote and added photo. | Oct. 7
On Saturday at 2:00 p.m., demonstrators led by the University of Florida (UF) Faculty for Justice in Palestine (UFFJP) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) held a protest in front of City Hall before marching on the streets in the pouring rain.
Around 2:30 p.m., one of the protesters, Quinnton Cooper, gave a speech to other activists, saying, “It has been one year of unbroken steadfastness among the resistance. One year unbroken people who continue to fight. People who continue to wave the flag of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran and all the oppressed people in the nations they’re coming from.... One year of being unbroken; one year of remaining strong, steadfast, and ultimately upholding what it means to have sumud [صمود]; steadfastness for all of us. Within that time there've been many who’ve done nothing—people in the U.S. and our government who’ve done nothing—who have enabled these actions. We are here to raise our voices and let the public know the Palestinian front is not only held within Palestine. It is within the diaspora that’s here with us today, and it is within all the colonized nations who understand what it means to go through what Palestine is [going through] today. It is within all people who can see genocide is a problem that affects all of us. A wound to one is a wound to all. That is why we are here.”
At 3:00 p.m., protesters began to take University Avenue, marching in the middle of the street as it started to rain. The protesters walked in front of a vehicle, which displayed a Palestinian flag and a Democratic Republic of the Congo flag.
The protest was held on an international day of action where thousands of people across the state, country and world protested for Palestine.
Some members of the public reportedly assaulted the protesters after they took to the streets. One protester said a man got out of his vehicle while holding a wrench but that the situation de-escalated and he gave up after realizing he was heavily outnumbered.
As protesters passed the Santa Fe College Blount Center, a Royal Restrooms employee drove through them, pushing them to the side. A activist reported that the employee knocked off the hubcap of the protester’s vehicle.
video cred. (gnvinfo)
Some protesters stood in front of vehicles that attempted to drive close to the crowd.
Gainesville Police Department (GPD) patrol units initially avoided the protesters, going around them.
video cred. (gnvinfo)
As protesters marched, the rain increased. When they reached 9th St., they turned around.
The police slightly increased their presence as protesters marched back to City Hall.
video cred. (gnvinfo)
As the protesters made their way back, a GPD officer followed in behind them. The officer occasionally issued commands, saying "you must continue to walk" even though the protesters hadn't stopped walking.
video cred. (gnvinfo)
Protesters got back to City Hall around 3:40 p.m.
The march is the first of a number of upcoming protests this month. UF Students for Justice in Palestine will be participating in a nation-wide walkout tomorrow and will be holding multiple fundraisers and memorials for Gazan Palestinians this week.
