Protestors continued to rally in call for a ceasefire in Gaza and put pressure on state legislators for their support of Israel in the war.
Around 200 protestors came to UW-Madison’s Library Mall for a “Stop The Hate: Building People’s Unity” rally and march on Feb. 10. The rally pulled a strong focus on the collaborative efforts between labor and movements to bring action and put a spotlight on the activity of the white supremacist group Blood Tribe around the state.
“Nazis are fascist. We put that down and we’re making that known that just by their very presence in our streets, that’s a violent threat against us,” said Brian Pfeifer, host of We Rise Fighting! A labor podcast. “We support Palestine. We denounce the genocidal apartheid by the United States and by western nations.”
The rally started off by announcing the intention of why protestors gathered on Saturday. Pfeifer, who has worked to help organize previous rallies, has been bridging labor and activism together. The previous rally drew out the largest ceasefire/labor protest to date.
A Palestinian man who drove from Milwaukee came to recount the story of his family. Mohammad Hamad recalled his family’s experience with the Nakba during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
“My son came to me and he said to speak from your heart and I’m going to speak from my heart,” Hamad said. “In 1986, I was very young and searching to know about my ancestor — searching to know what happened to my grandfather.”
He eventually found answers from his father who told him about their family being forced to leave their homes. His grandfather doubled back to retrieve something from their home. His family waited for his return, but Hamad’s grandfather didn’t return home.
Hamad’s father eventually found his father and was forced to bury him at 18 years old.
“I see what’s happening to the people in Gaza, to my family, to my extended family, to my friends, the killing has not stopped in the last 75 years,” Hamad said. “We understand what occupation means, what the tension means. We had in the last four months witnessed a genocide. You cannot have any description except genocide. The number of civilians killed in this war is unimaginable.”
The war in Gaza hits home especially hard for Hamad. His family experienced death in the Nakba in 1948 and has extended family killed in the current war. His cousin was killed while trying to save an injured person in Gaza.
The rally marched to the Capitol to continue the protest.
This story has been updated to correct the name of the white supremacist group that has held ralliles in Wisconsin.
