São Paulo – A series of demonstrations were held in Brazil and elsewhere in solidarity with the moment that the Palestinian people is going through. Mosques were illuminated, flags were waved, groups took to the streets to show empathy with Palestine due to the confrontations with Israel. Most rallies took place on Saturday, May 15, which coincided with the day that marked 73 years of Nakba, which is Arabic for “catastrophe” and designates the displacement of Palestinians amid Israel’s establishment in 1948.
In São Paulo (pictured above), Manaus and Recife had motorcades on Saturday, while in Brasília, Porto Alegre and Curitiba rallies and demonstrations were held. Rio de Janeiro took to the streets on Thursday, May 13, Monitor do Oriente reported in its website. Centro Beneficente Islâmico de Foz do Iguaçu (CCBI) projected the flags of Palestine and Brazil on the dome of the Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque for four hours.
The motorcade in São Paulo was held by the Front in Defense of the Palestinian People, Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, Al-Janiah cultural space, and Latin-Palestinian Forum, and other organizations, and called for the end of the massacre in Gaza and the West Bank, commemorating the 73 years of the Palestinian Nakba. The current conflict is focused on the Gaza Street, which is run by the Hamas group and where thousands of Palestinians live.
Dozens of cars participated in a demonstration in the city of São Paulo, drawing attention to the Palestinian situation, making noise, shouting slogans, and waving flags. The demonstration took over three hours, starting at Al Janiah in the neighborhood of Bela Vista and heading to the Pacaembu stadium. In front of the stadium, people got out of their cars and gathered. Muslims prayed and made speeches.
Latin America with the Palestinian people
Argentina, Chile and Mexico also saw rallies in solidarity with the Palestinian people. In Chile, the country with the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East, a peaceful demonstration was put down by the Chilean armed forces. People gathered with Palestinian flags in the Dignity Square in Santiago.
In Argentina, a rally took place in Buenos Aires on Friday, May 14, in front of the Foreign Relations Ministry, where a delegation of the Argentine Committee of Solidarity with Palestinian People was welcomed by the official in charge of Africa and Middle East, Resumen Latinoamericano reported.
This was followed by art interventions and several speeches in which people condemned the actions of Israel and demanded that the Argentinian government take a stand. Another demonstration was scheduled for Monday, 17, in front of the embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires.
In Mexico, the population demonstrated solidarity with Palestine at the Monumento a la Revolución at the Republic Square in Mexico City. Dozens gathered at the place with banners in support of Palestinians and speeches that marked their stance regarding the current situation and commemorating Nakba.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
