Pro-Palestinian protest held in Chicago over Gaza airstrikes
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in Chicago on Tuesday to express their anger over Israel's recent airstrikes in Gaza. The demonstration occurred just one day after the strikes that reportedly killed over 400 people, according to Hamas-run health officials. Organizers quickly mobilized the crowd, leading a march from the Israeli Consulate to Federal Plaza. Demonstrators called for accountability from U.S. leaders. "It is a duty to call out this genocide," said one protester. Another, Paul Street from Refuse Fascism, expressed his grief over the ongoing violence, saying, "We've been seeing babies buried under rubble." The Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine labeled the event an "emergency protest," urging U.S. officials to "hands off Gaza." Protester John Pottinger emphasized the need to fight against what he called "totally wrong" actions. In response, the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest stated that Israel's operations against Hamas resumed due to the group's refusal to negotiate the release of hostages. The consulate expressed gratitude to Chicago residents supportive of hostages' release, linking it to the possibility of a lasting ceasefire.