Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the Champaign Courthouse on Oct. 5 to demand local action one year into the Israel-Hamas war. The rally called on the Champaign City Council to pass a divestment and ceasefire resolution and opposed Israel’s recent military escalation in Lebanon.
The demonstration and subsequent march through town was co-sponsored by a coalition of activist organizations including the Party for Socialism and Liberation Champaign-Urbana, CU Muslim Action Committee and UC Jews for Ceasefire.
Around 200 people were in attendance at the protest, with a crowd of community members and students in attendance.
The protest occurred two days before the first anniversary of Oct. 7, 2023, the day Hamas launched a surprise invasion against Israel, killing over a thousand Israelis and abducting another 250. Israel then declared war on Hamas and deployed forces in Palestine, with the region now facing a humanitarian crisis.
Sam Froiland, organizer at PSL’s C-U chapter, said the protestors hope to make their voices heard and call for a ceasefire. According to Palestinian health authorities, the most recent death toll in Gaza is over 41,000 due to Israel’s military campaign.
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Although the Urbana City Council unanimously passed a ceasefire resolution this March, calls for the Champaign City Council to pass the resolution have fallen on deaf ears, according to Froiland.
“(Champaign) said that it’s not city business to call for a ceasefire — of course, it’s city business because your constituents, which include Palestinians who have lost many family members, are asking their elected representatives to call for a ceasefire,” Froiland said.
Froiland added that organizers want to put a ballot referendum in Cunningham Township on the public radar. The referendum will be up for vote during the Nov. 5 election.
“It is truly unique to our community. This is the only referendum asking voters their opinion against investment for military aid to Israel in the whole country,” Froiland said.
“The morale today was great,” Froiland said. “People … really believe in what we’re out there for, really genuinely believe that the slaughter of Palestinian people is completely unacceptable.”
