------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the June 20, 2002 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
FROM PRIDE TO PROTEST: PALESTINE SOLIDARITY IN BOSTON By Elijah Crane and Steve Gillis Boston Activists from the ANSWER--Act Now to Stop War & End Racism-- coalition here brought solidarity with Palestine, as well as the struggle against Bush's war and Ashcroft's racist round- ups, to two Boston events on June 8 and 9. Tens of thousands of people came out from all over New England on June 8 for Boston's 32nd annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans pride parade. Before the event, LGBT members of Boston's ANSWER learned that the corporate- sponsored pride committee had chosen "American Pride" as the theme of this year's parade. With a Pentagon war drive raging and racist roundups of Arab, South Asian and Muslim immigrants hitting the headlines, that theme appealed to national chauvinism and racism. So LGBT activists in Boston ANSWER formed Stonewall Warriors and publicized their organizing of a strong anti- racist, anti-war contingent in this year's pride march that resulted in the Pride committee officially changing the theme. On the actual day of the event, many groups reflected the original theme with red, white and blue floats. But Stonewall Warriors built a revolutionary float on which the Palestinian flags and rainbow flags flew side by side. The contingent's theme--"From Stonewall to Palestine, people fight back"--was well received, winning cheers from onlookers along the entire route of march. Members of the group Rainbow Flags for Mumia Abu-Jamal took part in the contingent. They carried a banner demanding, "End the racist death penalty and police brutality." The Women's Fightback Network also marched with the contingent, linking Bush's war abroad to the war at home. The next morning, Stonewall Warriors and their float joined the New England Committee to Defend Palestine, Boston Labor's ANSWER, and Al-Awda/Palestine Right to Return Coalition-Mass., in confronting the "Israel Independence Celebration" organized by the New England Israeli Consulate. More than 500 Palestinians and their supporters from a broad range of labor union, religious and community organizations circled the pro-Israeli festival that was barricaded inside the Boston Commons by police. Despite constant harassment of the pro-Palestine marchers by police forces on smog-belching motorcycles and on horses, by bomb-sniffing dogs and threats of arrest, songs of the Palestinian Intifada and the roaring chant "Shame, shame USA: funding Israel this way!" could be heard everywhere in and around the Commons. At the closing rally, held at the entrance to the fortified festival, Rima Anabtawi of Al-Awda vowed to pursue "these supporters of occupation and massacres until we all can return to our homes to celebrate a truly free and independent Palestine." - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support the voice of resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. To subscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
