On the first day of Kwanzaa more than a hundred people gathered outside Los Angeles City Hall to call for 24 hours of non-violence globally, and a permanent ceasefire in Palestine.
The march was intended to show solidarity between Black civil rights organizations and the Palestinian freedom movement, but was open to people of all races and religions. Community activism group SoCal Uprising organized the rally as well as a car caravan to bring protestors from San Diego and Orange County to Downtown Los Angeles.
“As a carousel of cultures, we are calling for an international day of ceasefire,” said the protestor organizers in a press release. “We plan to have a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through demanding 24 hours of non-violence and ceasefire globally. Never has our world needed peace more.”
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African American culture observed for seven days from Dec. 26 to January 1, culminating in a big feast enjoyed by friends and family. Each day of Kwanza emphasizes a different principle, the first being “umoja,” meaning unity.
In light of this theme, the protestors called an international day of ceasefire and collaboration between organizations to end violence in Sudan, Congo and Palestine.
Some of the community organizations that participated in the march include Yalla Indivisible, C.O.R.E. Movement LB, OC Justice Initiative, Colombians in San Diego, Palestinian Youth Movement San Diego, ceasefire.la, Latino Muslim Unity and Students for Justice in Palestine.
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