By ERNIE GOTTA
About 3000 rallied and marched for a free Palestine in New Haven, Conn., on Sunday, April 28. The Connecticut Palestine Solidarity Coalition organized the largest mass peaceful demonstration since the start of Israel’s invasion of Gaza. The main demands of the march included ending U.S. aid to Israel and ending the siege of Gaza.
The march started on the New Haven Town Green at 12 p.m. Homemade banners, signs, and puppets expressed the urgent need to build international solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. The march also showcased the creativity of artists in the mass movement, who organized public banner paintings prior to the march.
Dozens of families also attended with children of all ages. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Volunteer marshals helped answer questions and peacefully deescalated any tensions with people who tried to disrupt the march. For many this was their first experience joining a protest in the streets.
This march clearly demonstrated that support for Palestinians is not limited to the dynamic movement of students on campus. We saw on April 28 that the Palestinian cause has broad support around the state and region. Palestinians in the diaspora, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian activists, student activists from Yale, Columbia, UMass, UConn, Queer activists, military veterans, Puerto Rican Independence activists, immigrant workers, and more all marched with their own banners.
A contingent of union members marched behind a banner that read “CT Labor 4 Palestine.” The labor contingent was strengthened by members of the UConn GEU Local 6950 (UAW), which voted to give their full endorsement to march. Health-care workers and educators also marched with large banners that expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian struggle.
Intense chanting echoed through the park. Activists gave speeches throughout the day, and each speech was met with thunderous cheers. Speakers included Javier Villatoro, of the Semilla Collective, who connected the struggle of immigrant workers to the liberation of Palestine. Milly Guzman spoke on behalf of the Puerto Rican Independence Party and highlighted the fight against colonialism from Puerto Rico to Gaza. Laith, a Palestinian International Human Rights lawyer and Abdul Osmanu, a Hamden Legislative Council member, spoke alongside students from around the state who had organized solidarity encampments on their campuses. Kelsey, a PHD chemistry student at Columbia university and member of SWC Local 2710 (UAW) spoke about being arrested and suspended from school for her efforts in building solidarity with Palestinians. She stressed the need to build a strong fight for civil liberties.
The march made its way back toward the New Haven Green with chants charging President Joe Biden with committing genocide and asking the question, “How many kids did you kill today?” One of the march organizers and a member of Workers’ Voice, Dan Piper, reports that volunteers had collected over 350 names of people who were interested in becoming active in the CT Palestine Solidarity Coalition. In a movement that has embraced a wide diversity of tactics, a major influx of new activists interested in building a mass peaceful protests could provide a spark that brings tens of thousands more into the streets to demand an end to genocide.
Members of Workers’ Voice joined others in eagerly volunteering to help distribute Coalition leaflets, sign up new people, marshal, and carry banners. Our collective efforts showed the potential for building a lasting and dynamic mass movement led by a democratically functioning statewide coalition. We hope you’ll join us in building this movement. Message Workers’ Voice on our website and social media or reach out directly to the CT Palestine Solidarity Coalition on social media.