Wisconsin’s largest ceasefire rally to date was held this weekend as hundreds flooded the capitol area to demand an end to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
“Wisconsin All Out For Palestine saw protestors from across the state flood the area around the capitol to demand action from state representatives to push for a cease fire and protest businesses that provide equipment to Israel. Protestors marched from the capitol to the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce building, city hall and back around to the capitol. The rally was the largest ceasefire protest to date in Wisconsin.
“Clearly the issue of justice and Palestine [and] the issue of saving the lives of children and civilians is an issue shared by so many people here,” said founder of The Wisconsin Coalition for Justice (WCJP) in Palestine Janan Najeeb. “It is not a Jewish Muslim issue. It’s not a Republican Democrat issue. This is an issue of people that believe in peace and justice.”
The WCJP represented more than 50 organizations across the state as upwards of 500 people came out in support of the cause. The protestors and organizations had seven demands for the state legislature.
Among the demands: a permanent ceasefire and lifting the siege to Gaza, the end of all U.S. aid to Israel, end Israeli occupation of Palestine, end criminalization of speech in support of Palestine, free all political prisoners in Israeli prisons and reparations and the reconstruction of Gaza.
The march aimed to call out the continued support of Wisconsin businesses to Israel.
“We will be… showing companies that profit from genocide that we will not allow them to continue business as usual here in Wisconsin,” said a representative from the Milwaukee Anti-War Committee.
Protestors called out Oshkosh Corporation, specifically its subsidiary Oshkosh Defense that received a contract to produce the hulls for armored personnel carriers of the Israel Ministry of Defense. The contract is valued at $100 million.
Caterpillar Inc., headquartered in Irving, TX, has a manufacturing facility in South Milwaukee that was highlighted in the protest. The South Milwaukee plant is the headquarters for the company’s global surface mining division. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) uses armored Caterpillar bulldozers in Gaza, Forbes reported.
Astronautics Corporation of America, an avionics equipment and systems manufacturer for the commercial and military aerospace industry based in Oak Creek. Astronautics was founded in Milwaukee and develops a key component for the IDF’s SPICE bombs, a guidance kit for converting unguided bombs into precision-guided bombs. Israel has been dropping these bombs in Gaza, Business Insider reports.
The Milwaukee Anti-War Committee will protest at Astronautics’ headquarters in Oak Creek on Dec. 15 at 3 p.m.
The protest rounded out to Senator Tammy Baldwin’s suspected residence somewhere on Evington Street before heading back to the capitol.
Baldwin has been the focus on previous rallies due to campaign donations received from pro-Israel organization.
