Hundreds of Seattle protesters gather for Palestinian Day of Struggle
SEATTLE - Over 500 protesters were at Westlake Park on Saturday for the Palestinian Day of Struggle.
It was a day to commemorate the 76th Palestinian day of struggle, or "Nakba," which means "catastrophe" in Arabic.
The protest featured speakers sharing personal stories and leading the crowd in chants. Many were seen holding signs and waving Palestinian flags.
As the Israel-Palestine conflict continues, some protesters had personal reasons behind their participation in the rally.
"It’s important for me to be here because I’ve lost nine family members in Gaza and I’ve found my voice in my Palestinian heritage and I want to be here and support my people and show we want peace and we’re here until Palestine is free," said one man participating in the protest.
At one point, the crowd began marching to Pike Place, bleeding into the streets and blocking roads.
Around the same time the protest was getting started, President Joe Biden was in Seattle and Medina for several campaigning events. His arrival on Friday and departure on Saturday only added to weekend traffic, though it's mostly smooth now that Biden has left.
Protesters also followed Biden at the stops he made on his Seattle trip, including his fundraising event near the Lotte Hotel.
However, this protest was not in coordination with Biden's visit, with participants saying it was purely coincidence.
This Nakba Day protest comes a day before a pro-Israel march that's scheduled to happen near the University of Washington campus. UW Police will be barricading entrances of the pro-Palestine encampment Sunday afternoon, intending to limit interactions between the opposing groups.
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