Olympia, Washington is not a newcomer to the Palestine solidarity scene. Despite the freezing temperature, they continue to rally against the war.
The greater Seattle community showed up for the Palestinian cause despite the freezing sub-20-degree temperatures.
A large crowd gathered from throughout Washington State on Saturday to demand an immediate end to the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Local Palestine solidarity organizations, college student associations, and other civil society groups called for the rally and the march to the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, in protest of the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza over the last 100 days.
This was one of many protests that took place across the United States on January 13, with the largest rallies happening in Washington D.C., where over 400,000 people took the streets of the United States Capitol to have their collective anti-war voice heard.
All these protests had one common message: people will not be complicit in this genocide that their country is backing, defending, and financing.
In Memory of Rachel
Israel’s barbaric attack on Gaza has killed and wounded nearly 100,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children.
Millions of people continue to protest the Israeli war, calling on their governments to either end their support of Israel or to take action to end the ongoing genocide.
Washington State has been a scene of many such protests, which have been organized and conducted jointly with other groups, including Native American communities.
Olympia, in particular, has served as a hub for Palestine solidarity, due to the fact that it was the home of US activist, Rachel Corrie, who was killed by the Israeli military in Gaza in 2003.
A peace and justice activist, Corrie went to Gaza in 2003 to show solidarity with Palestinians during the Second Uprising, or Intifada. She was crushed by an Israeli military bulldozer as she attempted to prevent it from destroying a Palestinian home.
Despite her death at a young age 20 years ago, her presence is still felt in Olympia, where the community, led by her parents, continues to advocate for the Palestinian cause.
Despite the icy road, the frosty air and the frozen mountains, many still came from near and far with their flags and banners.
‘My Brothers and Sisters in Gaza’
“Today, we are all Palestinians,” a young mother, carrying a baby and flag, told the Palestine Chronicle.
A college student said “We are all playing our role in this struggle.”
“The heroes in the South African legal team are embracing their vocation, and I am embracing mine,” he said, referring to South Africa’s ongoing legal case at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing a genocide in Gaza.
“Facing the cold today is the least I can do to support my brothers and sisters in Gaza,” he added.
(All Photos: Fadil Gucci, The Paelstine Chronicle)
– Sammy Baroud is a young Palestinian-American student and Sports Writer.
– Fadil Gucci is a young freelance photographer based around the Pacific Northwest.
