DemosGaza

A beautiful and spirited contingent of 200 people marched in the Apartheid-Free Community (AFC) contingent in the July 3, Montpelier parade.
AFC member groups, Coalition members, and others marched calling for an end to the genocide in Gaza, a permanent cease-fire, and an end to the occupation.
We collected signatures to put the Apartheid Free Community pledge referendum on the Montpelier ballot, and brought the urgent demand to end U.S. support for Israeli apartheid, occupation, and settler colonialism to thousands of spectators.

Dozens of healthcare workers and others gathered on Church Street in solidarity with colleagues in Gaza, and protesting genocidal bombing and occupation of hospitals, targeting and abduction of hospital workers and mass graves of people murdered by the Israeli occupation forces.
At Burlington City Hall, Sunday June 2nd, 2024

This panel discussion explored the deep systemic connections between the militarization of the US/Mexican border, criminalization of undocumented people, the racist US carceral state, and apartheid and genocide in Palestine. Speakers from the Vermont Coalition for Palestinian Liberation, Migrant Justice and Free Her Vermont point to the growing networks of global solidarity that can challenge these injustices and lead to collective liberation.
Saturday May 25th, 2024 – 2-4pm
Burlington City Hall, Contois Auditorium,
149 Church Street, Burlington, VT.

Talk by the author Thomas Suárez in Burlington on April 15th, 2024
“Dispossession and Expulsion from the River to the Sea:
The Endgame of Israel’s 76-year war of Terror”

At the University of Vermont – Recording here

But Thomas Suárez’ talk at UVM had poor quality sound. People have asked about accessing a better recording – it’s here. It’s a recording of Suárez’ talk entitled: Justifying Slaughter: How the Cult of Messianic Zionism Conquered the West at UMass-Amherst on April 16, 2024.
This talk was very similar to his talk in Burlington. He addressed the historical roots of Israel’s ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine, the complicity of Western governments in manufacturing consent to the continuing horrors unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank, and what it will take to fundamentally transform Israel’s current apartheid policies and liberate the Palestinian people.

Both at UVM and UMass he presented and uncompromising and refreshingly insightful analysis of the ‘marketing’ of the Zionist narrative and its ‘brand’.

The Israel-Palestine “conflict” is typically misunderstood to be a clash between two ethnic groups – Arabs and Jews – inhabiting the same land. Thomas Suárez digs deep below these preconceptions and supporting “narratives” to expose something starkly different: The violent take-over of Palestine by a European racial-nationalist settler movement, Zionism, using terror to assert by force a claim to the land that has no legal or moral basis.

Drawing extensively from original source documents, Suárez interweaves secret intelligence reports, newly-declassified military and diplomatic correspondence, and the Zionist terrorists’ own records boasting of their successes. The use of terror was wide-spread, deliberate and sustained, whose same leaders then established and led the Israeli state. The book proves that Israel’s regime of expropriation and Apartheid against the Palestinians are not the result of complex historical circumstances, but the intended, singular goal of Zionism since its beginning.

Thomas Suárez is author of Palestine Hijacked: How Zionism Forged an Apartheid State from River to Sea.
He is a London-based historical researcher and former West Bank resident. He devoted several years to researching poorly-tapped and newly-declassified historical archives to compile this story.
Link to a talk by the author on YouTube.

Sponsored by VTJP, UVM SJP, Vermont Coalition for Palestinian Liberation, and Will Miller Social Justice Lecture Series.

Rally and press conference in Montpelier – Tuesday February 27th 2024.
Supporting signers of the Letter to Pres. Biden signed by 64 VT legislators and Lt. Governor David Zuckerman
The letter starts: We, the undersigned Vermont elected officials, implore you to take immediate action to demand a permanent ceasefire in the Israeli government’s military campaign in Gaza, to conditionally halt any further arms sales or military aid to the Israeli government, and to use diplomatic means to urge all parties to cease hostilities and talk peace.

Rally and March for Gaza
Stop Israel’s Genocidal War Now! Free Palestine!
January 20th 1pm
City Hall, 149 Church St., Burlington, VT.

Videos of the Rally

WCAX report: “Organizers say local Free Palestine Movement is growing” WCAX TV, By Sophia Thomas, Jan. 20, 2024,

Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. It has killed over 23,000 people, obliterated entire cities, driven 2 million Palestinians from their homes, and blocked humanitarian aid, precipitating mass hunger and disease. It has repressed Palestinians within its borders, launched attacks on the West Bank, and bombed Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, threatening a regional war. The Biden administration has supported, funded, and armed Israel in our name and with our tax dollars. We must unite to stop Israel’s war and stand with Palestinians in the struggle for liberation from Israeli occupation, siege, and apartheid.

photo: The Rake Vermont

Stand-Out in Bennington
Tuesday December 19th

Demonstration Montpelier
Saturday December 2nd
1-3 pm
State House Lawn

 

Slide Show of Rally in Montpelier – Dec 2nd 2023

Vigil: Friday November 24th – 3:45pm
Burlington City Hall

For Black Friday, and Christmas tree lighting

TEACHING PALESTINE
Sunday December 3rd, 10 am – 3pm

Scan the QR code to register and receive information about the location in the Montpelier/Barre area.

Israel has declared total war against the people of Gaza. It has also carried out attacks in the West Bank and into the surrounding region. With the full military, economic, and diplomatic support of the U.S., the Israeli military is killing thousands of Palestinians, destroying schools, hospitals, mosques, churches, and houses, and forcing hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. We must stand with Palestinians in Gaza, historic Palestine, and throughout the world.

•Stop Israel’s Genocidal War
•End the Siege of Gaza
•Provide Immediate Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
•Defend the Civil Rights of Palestinians and Palestine Solidarity Activists
•Stop All Aid to Israel
•Enforce Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel

Rally on Burlington’s Church Street on Thursday Nov 9th

A brilliantly organized (by JVP) Rally in Burlington November 9th supported by numerous organizations. Hundreds of people
started at the steps of City Hall, then the Rally re-located to a fund-raiser for Rep. Becca Ballint to demand our Washington Congressional delegation call for ending US-funded genocide, and:

• an immediate Ceasefire;
• humanitarian aid to Gaza;
• no more military aid to Israel

Media reports below – ‘The Rake Vermont’ and ‘VT Digger’ have a lot more detail.

WCAX TV By WCAX News Team
“Protesters in Burlington call for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war”

VT Digger “U.S. Rep. Becca Balint. They demanded that the first-term representative meet with them in person.” by Patrick Crowley, November 9, 2023.

The Rake Vermont “Protesters Disrupt Rep. Balint Fundraiser, Demand Ceasefire and End to Military Aid to Israel.” November 9, 2023, by Patrick St. John.
Including video of the Rally and Rep. Ballint speaking about her options.

Organized by UVM Students

Organized by IfNotNow
WCAX Report Here

Vigil at UVM – October 19th, 2023

Ceasefire Now!
Rally on Burlington’s Church Street
5 pm, Friday Nov 17th

Emergency Demonstration – Burlington’s City Hall Park – Saturday October 14th