Palestine Supporters Rallied in Downtown Milwaukee to Show Solidarity

A surprise Hamas attack on Oct. 7 surprised the rest of the world, but not Israelis and Palestinians. The attack occurred around 6:30 a.m. local time, and people were advised within minutes of anticipation to hide in their safe rooms.

Hamas is an organization governing the Gaza Strip, a geographical location that is fought by opposing governments and opposing political parties throughout years.

“Everyone’s dying and it’s a genocide,” Palestinian supporter Aseel Mustafa said. “Everything is being bombed. Israel is bombing innocent people. Free Palestine.”

Mustafa was seen moving around a Palestinian flag and came to show support for the Palestinian community. She has family in Palestine and says she is directly impacted.

“This is horrific for people on both sides,” UWM Jewish student Samara Singer said, reacting to news of the rally, which she did not attend. “I pray for this to end. We don’t want more innocent people to lose their lives.”

The Milwaukee Palestinian Rally Is One of Many in the World

There are pro-Palestinians and pro-Israeli rallies throughout the world. The Milwaukee Anti-War Committee held the pro-Palestinian protest on Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. in downtown Milwaukee.

The pro-Palestinian group progressed to 6th and West Wisconsin Avenue. Several people spoke with a megaphone saying, “Free Palestine.”

Students for Justice in Palestine at Marquette and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a college-based organization supporting Palestine, were present in the rally along with Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

A multitude of dogs, kids and adults clustered on every corner. The rally later walked around downtown while chanting with police security around them.

Israel implemented a law in the 1990s to incorporate safe rooms in houses to have their citizens ready for an emergency.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Oct. 10 that the United States supports Israel and condemns any action Hamas makes.

There is a mix of opinions within Americans. Some Americans are against the U.S. supporting Israel while some are in favor. Opposers say that the U.S. involves itself with conflicts that do not include the U.S. and that the U.S. should partake in issues that directly impact the country.

Supporters agree with the U.S. government because the U.S. government has nuclear weapons. The U.S. can utilize their nuclear power if they feel the need to do so.

People are held hostage by Hamas, but two Americans, Judith and Natalie Raanan, were the exception. These two Americans were given back to the Israeli government on Oct. 20 making them the first released hostages. They returned to Illinois, their home state.

People from both sides are suffering and losing loved ones in this conflict. The death toll in Gaza is over 8,000, according to AP News.

Although no Jews were present at the rally, the rally was open to the public.

A peace flag was seen at Zeidler Square merely an hour after the rally started. The scene was quiet as if no rally occurred. Protesters had to walk two streets up to catch up with everyone.

The air was rich in unknown chemicals although there was smoke visible in every corner. Sometimes it smelt like cigarettes, vapes and fire. The constant chatter made it difficult to distinguish who was speaking despite the megaphones.

The organizers of the event were on top of a car. According to the Milwaukee Anti-War Committee press release, the reason why the rally was held was because “the Milwaukee … [wants to] show support for the people of Palestine standing against Israeli occupation. This rally comes as Palestinian resistance fighters launched a surprise attack against their oppressors: the violent, apartheid Israeli regime.”

“It’s brutalizing indigenous people,” a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee senior John Sengstock said. “I was shocked that I didn’t hear about this before junior year of high school. I heard about this rally via my friend’s Instagram story.”

Sengstock observed the crowd from a distance, occasionally joining the chant. When the crowd moved down a road, Sengstock followed.