After Denver City Council voted (8-4) against a proclamation in support of a ceasefire in Gaza on Monday, hundreds of pro-Palestine protestors gathered outside of the Colorado Capitol in response.
Before the march through downtown Denver began, several speakers took the mic, demanding action from local and national powers to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. These statements were supported by shouts, clapping and chants. After 132 days of fighting for an end to the Israeli government’s bombardment of the Gaza strip and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of its inhabitants, many major cities in the US have passed resolutions calling for a ceasefire, including Chicago, Atlanta and San Francisco.
The proclamation would have been a symbolic measure calling for a cease-fire, which would have then been sent to President Joe Biden and Colorado Congress members. Action steps within this proclamation included those that had already been released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), such as a call for “[s]afe and unrestricted humanitarian access to and within the Gaza Strip to reach affected populations wherever they are,” according to a recent Denver Post article.
An organizer for the Denver anti-war action spoke about local resistance and encouraged people to join the Colorado Palestine Coalition. “We must remain steadfast in our solidarity and fulfill our fight to bring an end to US aid to Israel,” the speaker passionately said, followed by an uproar of applause.
Another speaker from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, decried the actions of Denver City Council, who he said sought to “maintain the status quo.”
As the march began, shouts like “Free, free Palestine” and “it’s not complicated, Palestine will be liberated” echoed through the Denver air.
The march continued through a covered tunnel, which increased the loud chanting of “Shut it down” repeatedly, raising the energy of the crowd. On the other side of the tunnel, a speaker gave a personal speech about close family ties in Gaza, and the suffering his loved ones are experiencing.
“It’s been 10 days since my cousins were abducted,” he shouted, “the US government has failed my family.”
This conflict has spurred significant attention among young voters, who are increasingly paying attention to foreign policy matters, particularly those linked to human rights and racial justice. The failure of President Biden and Congress to address humanitarian concerns may serve as a catalyst for passionate voters to show up and engage politically come November.
The march wrapped up with a few more speakers back at the capitol. One Sudanese speaker drew a connection between the activism in support of Palestine and the call for the UAE to divest resources from its role in the ongoing Sudanese civil war.
Another group of speakers continued to address their disappointment with the city council meeting, explaining that Denver’s alleged explanation for refusing to sign the ceasefire proclamation was that it would “increase division in the community.”
