19-05-2025
Pro-Palestine protesters call for end to war, arms embargo at Auditorium Shores rally
The Brief
Austin protesters gathered to call for end to war in Gaza
Protest displayed photos of those lost in Gaza
Protest fell on 77th anniversary of the Nakba
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin protesters joined in on a worldwide movement calling for an end to the war in Gaza.
What we know
This protest falls on the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, which commemorates what Palestinians see as their mass displacement during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
The protest at Auditorium Shores on Sunday was lined with photos of remembrance of the people who died in Gaza.
What they're saying
"I've been involved with this movement for 15 years because I believe that it's wrong to discriminate based on religion and ethnicity, and our government is funding that with billions of dollars," said Michael Katz, who's Jewish but is here to support pro-Palestinian protesters.
"We are the voices for those that can't be heard," said Lisa Debruyne, an organizer of the protest with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. "The Palestinian people have been wanting an end to this, and we want an end to it, and we're here to show that we stand with them in that solidarity."
"It's harrowing," said Debruyne. "It's heartbreaking seeing what our U.S. tax dollars are going into."
What's next
Protesters hope they'll see an arms embargo on Israel and an end to the war in the Middle East.
Dig deeper
It comes after the city of San Marcos discussed a resolution last month accusing Israel of genocide and calling for a cease-fire and arms embargo to stop the U.S. from funding Israel's military.
They claim more than four million dollars of that came from San Marcos taxpayers.
"Why do the people in the government continue to support this crime against humanity despite the fact that a vast majority of Americans support the people of Palestine and don't want this happening in their name?" said Kamil Shunnarah, another protest organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement of Central Texas.
City council ended up rejecting the resolution after Gov. Greg Abbottthreatened to cut grants to the city for not complying with state law.
In his letter, he called the resolution "pro-Hamas" and said, "Texas will not tolerate antisemitism."
"The world can not have peace until Hamas is gone," said Abbott in a press conference on October 7, 2024.
"This incredible repression is a response to the power that the people have," said Shunnarah.
The Source
Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin's Lauren Rangel and previous reporting by FOX 7 Austin.
