While Trump announced the ceasefire two days ago, the protests continue, because, an advocacy group stated, “it ain’t over, until the Palestinians say so”. Just as it didn’t start on the 7th of October 2023, it doesn’t end with a ceasefire. The violence continues in many other forms, and so does the apartheid. Many question the use of taking to the streets, given how little our government seems to care about what we are protesting. I do remember demonstrating against the war in Iraq on the streets of London all these years ago. Yes, a dictator ran the country, but did it justify such an assault on its population? And yet, the unprecedented number of demonstrators in London that day, shouting “Not in my name!” didn’t stop Tony Blair from going to war. To add insult to injury, Tony Blair is now trying to worm his way into the management of Gaza. Given the role of Great Britain in the destruction of Palestine – The British Mandate – it boggles the mind how anyone can think of this former PM as a suitable candidate. But I digress.
Since the 7th of October, I have witnessed countless protests against the relentless bombing of Gaza and the man-made starvation of Gaza. I have seen people of all backgrounds and religions walking together, united against Israel’s attempt at ethnically cleansing Palestine. People showed up, week after week, despite the mental and physical toll that comes from juggling day-to-day responsibilities and doomscrolling. They car-pooled to meeting points, painted banners together, and trained themselves and each other about protest housekeeping. They cared for each other by helping those with reduced mobility, sharing water and food, and filming any altercation with the Police or counter-protestors. The majority of protestors are young. Yet, I found them to be mature beyond their years, knowledgeable, and as comfortable with being themselves as they were welcoming towards demonstrators with different profiles. What is interesting is how the authorities have handled these protests worldwide. Dallas demonstration organizers have done a fantastic job organizing the protests, getting the proper permits, keeping the community safe, and ensuring the rules were respected.
At first, the Police appeared to be neutral. But then, as the weeks turned into months, the protests continued, with some following the same format and others varying slightly. In addition to demonstrations, activists organized art events, arranged conferences, invited lawyers and politicians, and shared books and tips on circumventing social media censorship. It became apparent that supporting Palestine on social media got people shadow-banned or had their profiles deleted. As mainstream media lost more and more credibility, people turned to social media. I had noticed how the wording changed depending on whether the journalists were mentioning Palestinians or Israelis. A 19-year-old Israeli soldier was called a child, whereas a six-year-old Hind was called a “woman” on CNN. On the BBC, I was gobsmacked to discover that the English subtitles from an interview of a Palestinian woman in Arabic had nothing to do with what the woman was saying; the translation was completely made-up. Not only is pro-Palestinian advocacy censored, but mainstream media also uses dehumanizing language and literally puts words into Palestinian mouths. All of this has been happening in the so-called “Free World”.
Not only has the “Free World” lost any moral high ground, but it is also rapidly losing its freedom. I remember first learning about propaganda in France and how it is a tool used by dictatorships and communist countries. I learned that the press was referred to as the Fourth Estate or Fourth Power, but that WE, in France, had freedom of speech. But most of the country learned of the existence of François Mitterrand’s daughter, born out of wedlock, after his passing, even though she accompanied him on numerous State visits. Mazarine Mitterand was a State secret, and the media was expressly forbidden to mention her. If Mitterand was able to conceal her existence for so long, what does it say about the freedom of the French press? At least the people living under dictatorships are aware of the propaganda. They have grown up doubting official versions and being critical of the news presented to them.
In the months and two years following the 7th of October, I have witnessed authorities becoming increasingly intolerant of the marches and protests. Dallas City Hall has an open mic policy that allows anyone to speak their mind on any subject for up to 2 minutes. After activists packed the room to support various speakers, the Mayor found ways to shut them down. If one person broke the rule and applauded a speech, they would expel everyone wearing a kuffieh. Suppose the council were tired of hearing speakers on the subject of Palestine. In that case, they might choose to discuss an obscure issue at length, thereby robbing the speakers of their opportunity to present their grievances. It didn’t matter that people took time off work and schlepped all the way to the City Hall in rush hour traffic. Later on, across the country, not only the Police, but State Troopers and other agencies were deployed and became violent.
In July, the Police tased, pepper-sprayed, and injured activists demonstrating in front ot the Boston Consulting Group in Dallas. One woman was concussed, her hijab ripped off her head, and was hospitalized. My impression is that the authorities will seize on any means to silence the noises they dislike. Yesterday, it was Police repression; today, they may go after your immigration status. Around Dallas, Marwan Marouf, a mainstay in the community, is detained by ICE for supporting a Palestinian charity and sponsoring a child. All it takes for this accusation to be actionable is to first criminalize this charity organization, just like the UK criminalised “Palestine Action”. Muslims are notorious for their generosity, as donating is one of the five pillars of Islam, and Muslims are careful to select the appropriate beneficiary. However, these tactics have made donating via channels such as GoFundMe a danger for members of the community. And ICE, it appears, is being used as a way to silence.
The latest example of this is the wrongful arrest of the talented photographer and activist, Ya’akub Ira. On Tuesday, Ya’akub, an upstanding member of the community, a DACA recipient, here legally, was abducted from his home. My understanding is that his proximity to the Palestine movement and his publications triggered the arrest, and the goal is to silence him as well as to deter other activists. In the hours after I learned of his abduction, I found myself searching the rights of non-Americans in the United States, and in particular, their right to free speech. What I found is that although the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the First Amendment protects non-citizens, the reality is that ICE can be used to target activists; visas and green cards can be revoked, and lives can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Click on the link below to help fund Ya’akub’s legal fees.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/_emergency_fundraiser_free_yakub_from_ice
