SEATTLE — Hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters marched through downtown Seattle as part of worldwide demonstrations on Saturday.
This protest came nearly one year after the Israel-Hamas War started on October 7.
“It’s been a year that we’ve been going through this. I, myself, am Palestinian. My own people have been going through this for much longer than a year,” said organizer Ahmad Hamdan.
It was part of an ‘International Day of Action’ led by the Youth Palestinian Group. Thousands of people joined demonstrations in cities across the U.S., Canada and U.K.
“It’s literally like the first time a genocide is being live streamed you know on platforms like Instagram on TikTok so it’s truly, truly is heartbreaking,” said protester Muhammad Hussain.
The Seattle group traveled up from Pier 62 through Broad Street and reached the Space Needle causing traffic jams in the area.
“That’s the only way people are able to listen. When we’re able to stand here and show that we are here,” said Hamdan.
Protesters believe that change can be made locally to support U.S. cities in need.
“Here in the city of Seattle you go on 3rd Ave and Pine, you see there’s such an insane drug problem, a homeless problem you know we need to take that money and invest here,” said Hussain.
This also comes just a month after former UW student Aysenur Eygi was killed by Israeli soldiers while protesting in the West Bank.
“It’s happening to our own people or people who are there in support of the Palestinian people there being directly affected by this,” said Hamdan.