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In Washington, Thousands Protest Violence in Gaza

The majority of protesters traveled by bus from various states including New York, Maryland and Ohio. Many families were among the crowd with fathers ...

Aug 3, 2014

[slideshow]A boy lies down in front of the White House in protest of the killing of children in Gaza.Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle;Scenes from the protest. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle;Scenes from the protest. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle;Scenes from the protest. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle[/slideshow] Washington D.C., USA — Thousands of protesters yesterday marched to the White House condemning the violence in Gaza and the United States’ supply of arms to the Israel Defense Forces. The ongoing military assistance provided comes in the midst of Israel's Operation Protective Edge, which so far has killed more than 1,350 Palestinians. Estimates of the size of the crowd vary from 10,000 to 60,000. Marching through Washington D.C., the protesters reached the White House at about 3:30 p.m. covering Lafayette Square, the square in front of the White House, with the red, white and green Palestinian flag. Women and children laid down in front of the fence, representing the civilians that have been killed in Gaza.
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The Palestinian flag was proudly shown all through the protest.
The majority of protesters traveled by bus from various states including New York, Maryland and Ohio. Many families were among the crowd with fathers carrying their toddlers, sons wheeling their handicapped mothers and teenage daughters leading the chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Other popular chants were “free, free Gaza,” “viva, viva Palestina” and, “Where people are occupied, resistance is justified.”
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Protesters arriving at the White House to the sound of drums. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
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Protesters arriving at the White House to the sound of drums. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
Although a large number of protesters were Palestinian, people of other nationalities also came to protest the death of civilians in Gaza. Essma Bergabsia, a 16-year-old Tunisian girl from New Jersey, has been attending other protests for the same cause. Bergabsia said that today’s protest has been the most well-attended so far, with supporters coming from all over the country, including about 200 from Ohio. Several signs demonstrated Filipino solidarity with the Palestinian protesters, reading, “Filipinos Say: End Massacre in Gaza.” Pakistani woman Sadaf Ahmed, 38, travelled from Maryland with her husband and three children to march under a banner reading, “Please protect the children and mothers.”
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For Sadaf Ahmed and her family, the conflict is a humanitarian concern. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
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For Sadaf Ahmed and her family, the conflict is a humanitarian concern. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
“Up until today, 1600 people have died [in Gaza]—1600 is a big number,” said Ahmed. “Including kids and women, the whole family [has] no place to go. It’s a humanity cause. Their life is as valuable as ours, we have to save their lives.”
Protesters were angered by Israel’s bombing of UN shelters in Gaza, including a UN-designated school that sheltered families. The July 30 bombardment killed an estimated 15 people, most of whom were women and children. While the United States condemned these attacks on civilians and called for a ceasefire, it also approved Israel’s request for munitions on July 31.
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Protesters condemn U.S. media for biased representations of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
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Protesters condemn U.S. media for biased representations of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
The march stopped in front of The Washington Post office on 15th Street where criticisms were made of the U.S. media’s portrayal of the current Israel-Palestine conflict. A handicapped Palestinian woman carried a banner depicting bloodied victims from Gaza as her son wheeled her carefully along with the spirited crowd. She insisted that the U.S. media is not telling a complete story of the conflict in Gaza. She asked to be identified solely as Grandma, because she is the grandmother of 27 children.
“They’re killing kids, massacres while they’re sleeping,” said Grandma. “Every night I watch what they do. Now they bomb through the chemical so that the kids’ skin comes off. The TVs here, they show nothing.”
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A handicapped Palestinian and her son marching with the protesters. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
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A handicapped Palestinian and her son marching with the protesters. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
Born in Palestine, Grandma is living with her children in the New Jersey but visits Palestine every year. The family owns a small business in the United States, and the White House’s supply of arms to Israel has shamed her as a U.S. citizen.
“At the checkpoints, you don’t know — they humiliate you,” said Grandma. “And now, with our taxpaying money, they kill our people. We own a business here. I feel so guilty, I want to sell everything and get away from America. They say democracy, democracy — that’s not democracy. Arab people are humiliated.”
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The young man later arrested by police for climbing a lamp post in the square outside of the White House. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
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The young man later arrested by police for climbing a lamp post in the square outside of the White House. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
At 3.52 p.m. EST, as the square before the White House filled up with protesters, a young man climbed a lamp post and was arrested by police officers. The crowd swelled around him, chanting, “Let him go.” Officers on horses approached the crowd and protesters screamed expletives directed at the police and U.S. President Obama, but the anger soon dispersed. The incident was a ripple in an otherwise peaceful protest.
Some families began to leave soon afterward. Awadh, a Palestinian mother, who travelled with her three daughters, taking an 8 a.m. bus from New Jersey to participate in the protest, was on her way home. Awadh urged U.S. politicians to see the conflict from a human perspective.
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Awadh’s daughters Abrar, 11, Fatina, 12 and Manar, 9. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
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Awadh’s daughters Abrar, 11, Fatina, 12 and Manar, 9. Photo by Joey Bui/The Gazelle
“I just wonder what Obama and his family would think if they were there in Gaza,” said Awadh.
When Awadh’s children were asked why they had come, the youngest daughter Manar gave a simple answer.
“They’re killing children in Gaza,” said Manar.
At about 5 p.m. EST, helicopters headed for the scene. At press time there has been no statement from the White House.
Correction: A previous version of this article mistakenly stated that the march began in front of the Washington Post Headquarters. The Gazelle regrets this error.
Joey Bui is an editor-at-large. Email her at news@thegazelle.org.
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