Pro-Palestine protesters take to the streets in Downtown Norfolk calling for a ceasefire
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Protesters filled the streets in support of Palestine in Downtown Norfolk on Saturday.
The protesters are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. One sign read out “from the river to the sea” while another cited a quote from Nelson Mandela about the necessity for Palestinians’ freedom.
Below are photos taken by WAVY staff of the protest.
Protesters marched over a mile down City Hall Avenue, down Granby Street and up around Brambleton Avenue.
It was something protester Tariq Jawhar said they’ve been doing every Saturday from the weekend after the Israel-Hamas war broke out.
“It’s a diverse crowd and people come out here and everyone, they’re coming united for one cause,” Jawhar said.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 34,000 Palestinians have died in the war.
Jawhar told 10 On Your Side it’s a humanitarian crisis.
“It’s a crime and a stain on humanity,” Jawhar said. “It reflects on how we do, how we act. We’re going to sit by and let this happen?”
Saturday’s demonstration came on the heels of many other pro-Palestine protests at colleges and universities across the country. Many of those ended with protestors, including students and staff, being arrested. Earlier in the week, more than 80 protesters were arrested at Virginia Tech.
One woman at Saturday’s protest declined to reveal her name but said she’s a Virginia Tech alumna and is against the school’s response.
“I was disappointed to see how administration handled the whole situation. The students made an effort to talk with administration. They weren’t willing to do that and then their ultimate response, the whole thing was to have students arrested,” she said.
She told 10 On Your Side that there’s a misconception that all of the protests going on in the United States are violent.
“The people out here protesting, they’re not doing anything that puts genuine safety in question, like the intention is to be peaceful and to protest like Palestinians rights to liberation and their land.”
Protesters said they’ll continue to march in Downtown Norfolk until their demands of a ceasefire are met.
Check with WAVY.com for more updates.
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