Iron Snowflake

The 11th of December was a global day of strike, boycott, and action for Gaza. Tampa, FL threw down alongside DC, Philly, and so many other cities. Marching from pro-Israeli Mayor Jane Castor’s City Hall, protesters occupied and shut down the Kennedy Street Bridge. This is one of the bridges over the river that divided Tampa.

In addition to the marchers on foot, vehicles were used to protect marchers holding the bridge from any attempt to ram through by violent motorists. DeSantis has made it legal to do so, but cannot repeal the laws of physics: a commuter car or even an SUV cannot ram through a “flag truck” with a Palestinian flag and protesters on it. Earlier, these and other vehicles had circulated in small groups in city streets, spreading the message with the flags and honking horns.

Getting everyone back off the bridge proved the most dangerous part of the mission. The cops were furious. To avoid leaving the car and truck drivers who had protected the marchers behind, marchers moved to the sidewalk to open the door for them to escape instead of being left behind. It was not to be: as soon as the reformed motorcade turned right leaving the bridge, cops pounced and ordered those vehicles they could find and catch to pull over after that turn.. It appears the majority of the motorcade vehicles escaped, but not all.

Most of the march continued back to City Hall, but a security element stayed with the cars. Cameras were trained on the cops in the classic one forward, one back model that makes forcibly halting the video without being filmed doing so almost impossible. The Israeli-trained cops no doubt realized the march could be summoned back in minutes. They may have written tickets (this is unconfirmed) but made no attempt at arrests or towing.

Cops learned the hard way that trying to pick people off afterwards is futile. Everyone they mess with has backup, and preventing it from being summoned is almost impossible.

There has been a lot of ugly harassment of and cheap shots at pro-Palestine activists by governors (such as DeSantis), cops, mayors, university presidents and employers, the works. None of it changes the fact that we have each other’s backs!

On the 11th of December, protesters opposing Israel’s bloody genocide in Gaza staged a die-in inside the atrium of DC’s Hard Senate Office Building. At least some blockaders were arrested. One interviewed on video said the reason US support for a cease-fire is being ignored is that Senators are more interested handouts from arms makers. This is a very distinctive space, high and echoey so protesters can be heard throughout the building.

As this protest wrapped up, protesters showed up at the White House for a second die-in

(video by Climate Defiance)

Three days ago the 8th of December, Climate Defiance took over a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) awards ceremony for students featuring the CEO of Exxon-Mobil. As Climate Defiance opened up on them with chants and banners, the entire room turned and fled. At the end of the video the lights in the room are turned off.

Unknown if this event was restaged later that night or cancelled, but this is an example of speaking power to oppression. A huge corporation that relies on eminent domain and the right to pollute is forced to abandon a public event in front of everyone. We win, they lose.

The woman targetted by these goons is kept out of this video footage, which was shot using a zoom lens from behind cover as I was working alone and Florida is dangerous territory.

On the 5th of December, supporters of Palestine held a silent die-in at the Embassy of Israel. The Embassy played loud music over their sound system. This was confirmed to have been Israel’s national anthem.

Only thing is, that anthem is somber enough to match the theme of the protest! A Palestinian Embassy supporting the protest could have played similar music by a different author with essentially the same result. Furthermore, the Israeli national anthem over posters of murdered children and child-size bodybags makes a statement of its own.

On the 2nd of December, Palestinians and their supporters gathered in a park in Tampa, FL, right across from the courthouse. Demanding justice they took to the streets, marching for a second time on the “Winter Village” Christmas festival at Carl Hixon Waterfront Park.

This time around, a big crowd was there-and Mayor Jane Castor, infamous for cross-training the Tampa Police with the IDF and promoting Israeli products in Tampa. Protesters called her out, chanting “Shame on Jane!”

Reports also emerged that both Jerusalem and Bethlehem in Palestine had to cancel their Christmas events due to the war. The shopping festivals in the US seem to be unaffected. Protesters reminded those who would listen that Jesus was Palestinian.

On the first of December, the cease-fire in Gaza broke down or ended as Israel resumed bombing Gaza. Protesters infuriated by the renewed slaugher descended on the Embassy of Israel in Washington DC.

On the 28th of November, pro-Gaza protesters showed up at the Capitol’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Four were arrested for unknown reasons by Capitol Police.

On the 25th of November, Tampa area Palestinians and their many allies gathered at a park across from the courthouse. There they remembered the many martyr’s of the current war, at least 8,000 of them children slaughtered in their homes or on the streets.

After the vigil, participants marched across downtown to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park-and the “Winter Village” Christmas festival being held there. For safety’s sake , the march passed by the festival one walkway short of it rather than going through it.

Before the march, both a Muslim Imam and a Christian minister spoke at the vigil. The Christian bluntly warned that “you cannot build a holy land on the mass graves of children and condemned the hypocrisy of “Christians” supporting Israel’s genocide.