US: Pro-Palestine movement makes itself heard at DNC 2024
With only one day completed, the Democratic National Convention has already caused a commotion inside the walls of the United Center, the streets of Chicago, and on social media platforms.
The quadrennial event is where Democratic Party delegates formally nominate their presidential and vice presidential picks and decide on the party's platform ahead of the election later in the year.
But because Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have already been appointed as this year's nominees, the convention has consisted of long-winded speeches of praise for Harris and President Joe Biden (specifically for his decision to bow out of the race), criticism of Donald Trump and the Republican Party, and is a stage for multiple movements to highlight their issues, such as the labour and abortion-rights movements.
For those in the pro-Palestine movement, the convention has served as a microcosm of the relationship between the Palestine advocates and the Democratic Party – not only since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October, but for the last several decades.
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The convention, for example, began with a land acknowledgement from leaders of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Council: vice-chairman Zach Pahmahmie and Tribal council secretary Lorrie Melchior. They took to the stage to welcome the Democratic Party to their "ancestral homelands".
"Here we are, together on our ancestral homelands of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and our sister Potawatomi nations. We also honour the spirit of the other tribal nations who travelled westward to this beautiful area. Welcome 2024 Democratic National Convention to our homelands. This land has and always will carry enormous importance to its original stewards, our ancestors and our present-day communities," Pahmahmie said.
Many online saw the irony in the Democratic Party’s ironclad support for Israel - which has forcibly displaced 1.9 million Palestinians off of their ancestral homeland since October alone – as a testament to the party’s inconsistent beliefs when it comes to Palestinians.
The DNC platform starting with a land acknowledgment and then including an "ironclad" commitment to providing Israel with weapons no matter what is basically the Democratic Party summarized in one document.
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) August 19, 2024
Gaza was mentioned multiple times on the main stage. President Biden said he would "keep working to bring hostages home, end the war in Gaza, and bring peace and security to the Middle East".
"I will keep working to bring hostages home, end the war in Gaza, and bring peace and security to the Middle East.”
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 20, 2024
US President Joe Biden, in his farewell speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday, vowed to end the war in Gaza and acknowledged the… pic.twitter.com/ICgryHYiTS
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez echoed Biden's message for the party, and said that Harris was "working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bringing hostages home".
For those who have been waiting for the US to revoke its unwavering financial and moral support of Israel, these messages are more frustrating than they are comforting, advocates say.
Disgusting. They are turning @TheDemocrats’ genocide of the Palestinian people into a mere talking point to be checked off with mention of a nonexistent “ceasefire” that @KamalaHarris is doing absolutely nothing to bring about, while she fuel the killing with Baby Buster Bombs. https://t.co/GIcUQXdlTA
— Ali Abunimah (@AliAbunimah) August 20, 2024
Palestinian-American lawyer and activist Noura Erakat said the speeches amounted to "gaslighting".
#DNC speeches that raised #Gaza/Palestine were pure gaslighting. They talked about ending the genocide like they were praying for rain rather than being the source of bullets,missiles, bombs & impunity they r providing. Shame on all of u 4 prioritizing ur donors over humanity.
— Noura Erakat (@4noura) August 20, 2024
Another user said that these messages are dangerous in minimising the US's role in Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians since October thus far.
I know this is extremely obvious but a problem with the suggestion that US leaders are “working tirelessly towards a ceasefire” is that it makes it sound like the US is a neutral party trying to get two sides to stop fighting. The US is literally doing the fire and can just stop
— Olivia Katbi 🌹 (@oliviakatbi) August 20, 2024
Protests
Protests of the Biden-Harris administration's complicity in the war have been done both inside and outside of the convention.
On Sunday, a person stormed the stage during the DNC's welcome party before grabbing the microphone and saying, "150,000 are dead. You are funding a genocide".
Pro-Palestine protestor takes the stage at the DNC 2024 welcome party.
— ✞ Gabriel ✞ (@gabrielhaynes) August 19, 2024
It has begun. This week is going to be wild. I pray for peace and safety for everyone( and the surrounding area) of DNC 2024. pic.twitter.com/mUV1JUS0g6
On Monday, a group of DNC members unfurled a banner that read, "Stop arming Israel". Surrounding members attempted to block the view of the banner with signs that read, "We Love Joe" and "USA". The audience responded with chants of "We love Joe" as the banner was taken away.
Audience members at the DNC in Chicago unfurl banner that says “Stop arming Israel.”
— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) August 20, 2024
After audience sees the banner, they begin chanting “We love Joe.”
Man tries to rip banner away.
Stadium lights over this spot then dimmed and banner was ripped away. pic.twitter.com/3RfK1aUSV4
Around that time, delegates reportedly used their "We Love Joe" signs to hit pro-Palestine delegates on the head. One of those who was hit was Nadia Ahmad, who was wearing a hijab.
From Nadia Ahmad, a delegate holding this protest sign: https://t.co/yhutddvSrf pic.twitter.com/QuTXua54PC
— Akela Lacy (@akela_lacy) August 20, 2024
In another protest action, several DNC delegates covered their mouths during President Biden's speech.
"We wanted to send the message that we don't agree with what Biden has been doing. He has been funding the genocide of the Palestinian people for ten months now," Washington state delegate and Uncommited organiser Sabrine Odeh said.
And in the streets of Chicago, thousands have convened to protest against the party and convention. As the convention kicked off, the numbers protecting the DNC were reportedly greater than those attending it.
More people were marching outside the DNC with Palestinian flags than were inside the arena when the convention started. pic.twitter.com/182c0oXsIO
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 19, 2024
Tensions were high between protestors and the hundreds of police that were stationed at rallies and marches.
AP reported that 13 protestors were detained after "breaching" a fence that was built for the convention.
The message of the protests has been very specific – to put a weapons embargo on Israel.
Palestinians aren’t asking the Biden admin to bomb Tel Aviv, take out Ben Gurion airport & destroy all of Israel’s military infrastructure. We aren’t asking the US government to liberate Palestine. We are simply asking them to stop fueling genocide. It’s a simple election demand
— Remi Kanazi (@Remroum) August 19, 2024
Academic Eman Abdelhadi spoke at one of the rallies, saying that the Democratic Party must "earn [their] votes".
Another speaker addresses @VP Kamala Harris directly: "We are telling you that you have to actually earn our votes, and we are telling you exactly how to earn them. We are telling you, we want a weapons embargo [to Israel]." pic.twitter.com/PNDtErJtUo
— Dave Byrnes (@djbyrnes1) August 18, 2024
'Historic but not the prize'
In response to the expected protests, the DNC has attempted to compromise with members who have been pushing for an end to the war on Gaza by setting up a panel for the Uncommited movement to discuss the plight of the Palestinian people.
The panel was untelevised and was held at an outpost four miles away from the main centre of the convention.
The panel comprised a surgeon who had treated Palestinians in Gaza, an ex-DNC member, party activists and one of the leaders of the Uncommitted movement.
The first time the #DNC has ever hosted an official panel on Palestinian human rights. It’s not the prize, but it is historic.
— Alyssa Rubin 🔥✡️ (@aly_mixed_up) August 19, 2024
This is where policy change starts - when a movement forces those in power to respond. pic.twitter.com/S6uAjNN36Z
One of the panellists, Hala Hijazi, said that she was a long-time Democrat who had raised over two million dollars for the party, but was at the panel because she has had over 100 family members killed in Gaza.
Although many celebrated the progress of making space for the Palestinian struggle at the DNC, they pointed out that this is not an end goal.
The first time the #DNC has ever hosted an official panel on Palestinian human rights. It’s not the prize, but it is historic.
— Alyssa Rubin 🔥✡️ (@aly_mixed_up) August 19, 2024
This is where policy change starts - when a movement forces those in power to respond. pic.twitter.com/S6uAjNN36Z
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