People gathered at Mission Plaza in San Luis Obispo Thursday evening for a March for Palestine rally.
Organizers say the pressure on President Biden and Congress is growing to stop the airstrikes in Gaza.
Palestinian flags were seen throughout Mission Plaza as hundreds of people rallied Thursday evening in response to the Israel-Hamas war that started one month ago.
Supporters tell KSBY News they gathered to support the freedom of Palestine and are calling for a cease-fire to the Israeli attacks on Gaza.
“The way the Palestinians are being massacred and the rate at which they are being massacred is no justification for what’s happening, and so I came to the rally to find community, to find support on an issue that's been very heavy on my heart and mind,” said a March for Palestine supporter named Sandra.
“Whole families are being erased and it’s so sad to see all that and it’s also sad that the whole world is watching and nobody is wanting to do anything,” said Hala Ayoub, March for Palestine supporter.
Some say their families have been affected by the airstrikes that have occurred in Gaza.
“My son-in-law is from Gaza and his family live there and they’re displaced,” said Hisham Assal, Pismo Beach resident. “I’ll call them every few days to check up on them and see what’s going on but they are at least displaced. Their home was destroyed.”
This isn’t the first rally in support of Palestine that has taken place at Mission Plaza. The last rally took place on October 21.
Thursday's rally continued their march through the Downtown SLO Farmers' Market.
“We need to stand with the people of Palestine,” said one March for Palestine supporter.
“I don't know if we got support from other people who are not participating in the march,” Assal said. “I’ve seen different looks on people’s faces, some of sympathy and some of, ‘What is this all about?' I don’t know, but I think the important thing is we bring awareness to people.”
Few members of the Jewish community were present at the rally to show their support for Israel.
One supporter said Israel is attacking Gaza in order to take out the political group Hamas.
“Israel's doing what it regretfully, it regrets, but it must do it,” said Gordon Mullin, a supporter of Israel. “It must take Hamas out so that those Palestinians can live better lives and so can Israelis.”
The March for Palestine rally was announced on Instagram by the organizations Abolitionist Action Central Coast and Cal Poly SQE.
