Chants of “Free, free Palestine!” resounded from a Northwest San Antonio underpass Wednesday evening during a protest decrying Israeli airstrikes that killed more than 400 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
Roughly 70 advocates gathered on a pedestrian island at I-10 and De Zavala Road to demand the United States stop supporting Israel in the Gaza conflict. The gathering was organized by the San Antonio chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
Protesters held signs demanding the release of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident arrested by federal immigration authorities earlier this month. Others waved Palestinian flags and held placards calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel and stating “Gaza is not for sale.”
At the protest, a speaker identified as Haneen with family in Jenin and Gaza, shared the emotional toll of the war and the urgent need for action. Israel earlier this week unleashed new bombing to target what its defense forces called “terror targets” belonging to Hamas.
“My people’s lives are not collateral damage. They are real humans with lives and deserve a future to look forward to as much as anyone else,” Haneen said. “I wish more people in the U.S. would stop normalizing the genocide in Gaza as just another part of life when their tax dollars fund it.
While Haneen still has contact with an aunt in Gaza, she added that other family members weren’t as fortunate.
“During the second week of the genocide in Gaza, my uncle, his wife and three children were martyred,” the speaker said. “It was very difficult to comprehend that my tax dollars went to kill them. Since I’m in the U.S., I try my best to use my voice for them and let our martyrs’ legacy live on.”
Despite the grief and survivor’s guilt, she finds hope in the solidarity of the Palestinian movement.
“Being around the community is what keeps me hopeful — seeing that Palestine is still at the forefront of the larger fight for the struggle of all humanity,” she said.
“We can’t sit back and watch. We can’t surrender to what the U.S. ruling class is subjecting us to. We are all united in one struggle in fighting for liberation. No one is free until we are all free. We must continue to boycott, organize and fight back.”
The peaceful protest, which began with impassioned chants and calls for justice, ended on a more celebratory note, as participants joined together for a traditional Arabic Dabke dance. The rhythmic beats of Arabic tunes filled the air, offering a moment of cultural expression and unity amidst the ongoing struggle.
Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed
Related Stories
Federal judge allows suit against Texas governor’s campus speech order to move forward
Student activists stopped from delivering pro-Palestine letter to University of Texas president
Muslim advocacy group sues Gov. Abbott over order cracking down on campus protests
This article appears in Mar 19 – Apr 1, 2025.