Protesters gathered in Hessel Park on Saturday in opposition to Israel’s siege of Gaza and promotion of an immediate and permanent ceasefire. The rally transitioned into a marching protest down West Kirby Avenue, crossing paths with traffic from the Illini men’s basketball game, stopping at South First Street and returning to the park.
Students, organizers and community members attended the rally and march. Various organization members and even the occasional toddler led chants and gave speeches.
The campaign is part of an international movement called Shut It Down For Palestine. The event was organized through a collaboration of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, a nationwide socialist political party, and the Prairie Liberation Center, a new hub “fighting to empower the marginalized in Central Illinois,” according to its website, located in downtown Champaign.
More than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed in the besieged Gaza Strip in the three months since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, NBC reported, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry. Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7 killed more than 1,200 people.
According to George Basil, an organizer for both the PSL and PLC, the gathering was held “to demand a ceasefire resolution be passed in the Urbana City Council and Champaign City Council.”
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A ceasefire resolution entails the denouncement of war; passing them in Champaign-Urbana would result in increased pressure for the U.S. government to encourage a ceasefire between the warring states. Other U.S. municipalities have gone through with this action already.
“Cities across the country have been joining this call … the democratic mechanisms that people thought they could rely on have vanished,” Basil said. “It’s a political position that’s not represented by Democrats, Republicans or anybody in the administration.”
Speakers at the rally demanded action from the University, emphasizing a connection between them and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Basil specifically referenced the University’s Caterpillar Inc. laboratory.
“Last year there was a similar protest at the Caterpillar Research Lab on campus — Caterpillar is a company that has invested in the design of militarized bulldozers that the IDF uses to demolish Palestinian homes,” Basil stated. “We’re here to make the University’s connections very visible and uncomfortable for the University administration.”
Vocal protesters holding picket signs and banners made themselves visible by occupying the right lane of Kirby Avenue, leading to the State Farm Center just 45 minutes before the Illinois versus Indiana men’s basketball game.
The rally and march were met with two individuals who followed along on the opposite side of the road carrying an Israel flag with chants of their own. Both were adamant about their disdain for Hamas, not the Palestinian people, and their support of Israel.
“We’re out here against the genocide that happened against the Israel and Jewish people on Oct. 7,” said Max, a counterprotester. “Now, while the people suffer in Palestine, the leadership of Hamas eat fancy dinners in their luxury apartments in Doha, (Qatar).”
“I support a ceasefire if they give all government power to Israel and Netanyahu, the prime minister and the president of Israel,” said Gravell, an accompanying counterprotester. “The powers that are supporting Gaza — they’re talking about eradicating the Jewish people and that’s what I stand against.”
Similar testaments were made by those in the rally in support of civilians, but not warfare.
“This is not a measure against the Jewish people, it’s against the genocide in Gaza,” said Ben Joselyn, the individual who brought the ceasefire resolution before the city council. “We’re hoping that folks will continue to support and that we’ll continue to learn and advocate for peace and justice in the world.”
Throughout the afternoon, organizers were collecting signatures for the resolution and passing out flyers for upcoming events.
“What is our long-term plan?” asked Dua Aldasouqi, organizer of A Day for Palestine, an upcoming event on Feb. 3 at the Urbana Free Library. “These actions are great, they get the word out, but we need to be educated, and that is the focus of the event on Saturday.”
Aldasouqi’s community education-focused event will include documentaries, art galleries, story time for children and writing letters to local government representatives.
“The interpersonal conversations are what matter,” Aldasouqi said. “If someone feels like their opinion is the minority, they don’t speak up. It creates a spiral of silence that makes it feel like the majority is the only opinion that exists but if someone starts a conversation, the floodgates open.”
