Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in Minneapolis Monday night, decrying Israel’s response to Hamas’s terrorist attacks on the nation.
“Netanyahu you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide,” the protesters chanted outside of Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s Minneapolis office.
Two days after Hamas invaded Israel, kidnapping and killing women and children, a large group of protesters have gathered outside Sen. Amy Klobuchar's Minneapolis office to oppose her support for Israel. pic.twitter.com/CAe8OcrgFE
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) October 9, 2023
Around 100 people were gathered in front of the building, waving Palestinian flags and holding signs with statements such as “Free Palestine” and “Stop Israel Genocide,” two days after Hamas attacked Israel, killing more than 900 people, including 11 American citizens.
Terrorists backed by Hamas, which is a designated terrorist organization that has ruled over the Gaza Strip since 2007, poured into Israel Saturday morning, indiscriminately killing women and children. Some Israelis were taken hostage and paraded through the streets. Hamas has threatened to broadcast their executions. They also targeted a music festival where an estimated 260 people were killed.
According to The Daily Wire, Israeli soldiers discovered a village Tuesday where at least 40 babies were killed.
One protester at Monday’s demonstration appeared to be flying a Palestinian flag with the Hamas symbol on it. An image from KSTP shows the flag more clearly.
Hamas flag inserted into a Palestine flag. Event in Minneapolis. Is it legal to support terrorist groups in MN now? https://t.co/yB7Jw2U99N pic.twitter.com/iiG4nueIiG
— Agogogirl (@Pinkagogogirl) October 10, 2023
Several cars and vehicles driving past honked in support to the cheers of the pro-Palestine protesters. One car filled with young men drove circles around the block flying a Palestinian flag out of the sunroof.
The protest took place at Klobuchar’s office to send her a message to not support any aid for Israel. “No more money for Israel’s crimes,” the protesters chanted.
The protest was organized primarily by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee and was attended by individuals with the University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society, along with the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee.
We’ll be there! https://t.co/bszz92jBuJ
— UMN SDS (@UMNSDS) October 8, 2023
Other groups who organized the protest included Women Against Military Madness, Minnesota Boycott Divestment and Sanctions Community (MNBDS), Minnesota Peace Action Coalition (MPAC), and Freedom Road Socialist Organization Minnesota (FRSO).
A Jewish man was standing on the opposite side of the street with a cardboard sign written in Hebrew which said, “The People of Israel Live.”
The man, who asked to be referred to as Chaim, told Alpha News that he was there to express another point of view.
“I do believe most of these people have their beliefs in good faith, but I find it rich to come here and be chanting about genocide where there is a group who is currently, or for the past few days, massacred Jews, that explicitly says they want the genocide of the Jews,” Chaim said.
He decried the violence taking place in Israel, saying that even though he believes the people supporting Palestine are doing so in good faith, what is happening is genocide against the Jewish people.
The Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which has endorsed several Democratic legislators in Minnesota, also released a statement of “solidarity with Palestine.”
“Just as Palestinians took to the streets after George Floyd was murdered, we are resolved to show the same solidarity in defense of Palestinian liberation,” the statement said. The group said it is committed to the “rematriation of land” in Minnesota, along with “Land Back” for Palestinian people.
“We are resolved to build our capacity as a chapter to take our fight to city halls, to the state capitol, and to the halls of national power in the USA — to end all US financial support for the Israeli settler apartheid regime,” the statement from the Twin Cities DSA said.
Hayley Feland
Hayley Feland previously worked as a journalist with The Minnesota Sun, The Wisconsin Daily Star, and The College Fix. She is a Minnesota native with a passion for politics and journalism.
