Union workers joined students in Deering Oaks Park in Portland Saturday to call on all unions to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestine. Workers say it's time to organize and end what they call Israel’s genocide against Palestinians with a permanent ceasefire.
Sarah English is a registered nurse and a member of the Maine State Nurses Association, part of National Nurses United. She says the union called for a ceasefire in December and has put out a statement standing in solidarity with campus protesters facing crackdowns and arrests.
"It is not a radical stance to stand with Palestine. It is not radical to call for a permanent ceasefire and send humanitarian aid to Gaza and all of Palestine. It is not radical to speak out against genocide. In fact, it is the right thing to do," English said.
Emma, a USM graduate who did not give her last name, said schools must also divest from Israeli interests. She said the UMaine system is among the schools in the state with investments in military and equipment suppliers to Israel.
"We cannot sit here and allow universities to grow their involvement in the making of bombs and weapons that kill people across the world. We cannot have these institutions built on stolen land support and help others steal more land. We must do more and explore all avenues to end this genocide," she said.
Hundreds of student-led protest encampments calling for institutional divestments from Israel have been taking place across the U.S., Asia and Europe.
More than 200 people attended the Maine Labor for Palestine and Maine Students for Palestine rally. The organizations say the call for a ceasefire and divestment have been endorsed by hundreds of Maine small businesses and organizations who have signed on to a statewide petition.
The UN says more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed, and 1.7 million people have been displaced in Gaza.