March for Peace: Citizens Rally for Gaza Ceasefire and Solidarity Resolution

Marchers gathered in front of Civic Center (Photo by Evansville for Palestine).

Photo by Evansville for Palestine

Photo by Thomas Stratton

About 100 local citizens, joined by activists from Indianapolis, converged at the Four Freedoms Monument on Friday and marched to the Civic Center in solidarity with the people of Gaza and to call for a permanent ceasefire.  Speakers called for empathy for the people of Palestine and for Israel in a conflict that has claimed more than 32,000 Palestinian and 1200 Israeli lives.  The focus of the march was a proposed resolution drafted by Veterans for Peace and allied groups they are asking the Common Council to adopt.  

The present draft of the resolution reads: 

“Council expresses its unwavering support and sympathy for all, Palestinian, Israeli, Muslim, Jewish, Christian and all other members of our shared humanity around the world, including those and our own community, who have been impacted by the atrocities of this war. The Council desires a lasting bilateral ceasefire, release of all hostile ages, and unrestricted humanitarian aid. Council condemns all forms of anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia; each of whom has a right to learn, work, worship, gather, advocate, and celebrate free from intimidation, harassment, and fear of violence.”

Speakers included local Imam Dr. Wissam Abdul Baki, John Michael O’Leary of Veterans for Peace, and local activist Felicia Eaves. Local artist Nina Snoogans closed the event by performing “The Ballad of Aaron Bushnell,” the US servicemember who died by suicide in an open protest of US policy supporting Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since the Hamas attack on 7 October. The Palestine Solidarity Coalition of Southern Indiana, a group working together for peace, equity, and justice for Palestine, is taking their case to Common Council but also plan to press the federal government on its weapons sales to the Netanyahu government.