By: Joel Astbury
"This Fight Isn’t Going Away Anytime Soon!"
I left Austin for DC on a Greyhound this Monday at 3am. Needless to say I was very excited to finally make it to D.C. Tuesday night! On Wednesday morning I woke up with an incredible enthusiasm, fueled by the energy of every anti-genocide activist that had flocked to the city.
After maneuvering my way around a bunch of barricades, I finally found the rally around 11:30 am. With each new speaker, I was drawn closer and closer to the front until I found myself about three rows in from the front of the stage. Watching the sheer magnitude of the protest felt incredibly justifying, like it was proof that my country was capable of seeing Netanyahu’s “war” for what it truly is. With many other activists (shoutout to CODEPINK) trying to block that war criminal’s motorcade, the rally felt like it was going strong. Even so, after screaming near the front for an hour or so, I was shocked to look back at the sea of signs that had amassed behind us. It must have been thousands upon thousands of protestors that had been steadily making their way to the rally, preparing for our march. The anti-genocide coalition in this country was so much larger than even I realized. The speakers themselves were fantastic, and as time went on, I realized that if it weren’t for these activists’ lifelong dedication, a day like today never could have happened.
A few hours in, and we were ready to march. I tried to stay near the front, and so I was able to witness what happened next. Apparently, the pre-planned route that the leaders were guiding us towards was blocked off by police (maybe it was them getting back at us for blocking Netanyahu’s motorcade). I was a few rows from the front, and I realized this run in with the police was becoming confrontational. I heard a lot of folks start yelling “PUSH” and the next thing I know I’m hit with pepper spray. If it weren’t for my sunglasses blocking part of it, I probably would have been out of commission for a lot longer. It didn’t hurt much at first, but it didn’t take long for the burning to hit. Luckily, I was surrounded by so many incredible people. Two other protestors helped guide me over to the side, and before I knew it I had half a dozen people lined up ready to flush out my eyes with water bottles. I must have gone through a couple dozen bottles (and a couple mini interviews) before a group of us who had been sprayed made our way over to Union station. There, we were met with some resistance from the authorities who wanted us to show a ticket for Union Station before entering. Eventually, we were let in. We took full advantage of the soap in the bathrooms to scrub the pepper oils off of us. I felt more or less fine after a couple hours. By the time I’d recovered, Netanyahu had unfortunately delivered his pro-genocide speech to Congress. That being said, the kindness shown to me by dozens (and I mean dozens) of fellow protestors who helped me to recover still made me feel hopeful.
Despite there being so many different groups there, the spirit of the protest was unquestionably unified in fighting for the children of Palestine. I know that no matter what I or any other protestor went through today, it pales in comparison to the conditions that those children are forced to live in.
Let’s be honest, everyone knew that Netanyahu was going to be allowed to speak. Everyone knew the U.S. was not going to respect international law. And everyone knew that despite our best efforts, the children of Palestine would have to suffer yet another day without the bare necessities of survival. However, something I don’t think everyone knew, which is now undeniable, is that this fight isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s not a trend, it’s not just another story in the news cycle. As one of our speakers pointed out, From the River to the Sea is a promise, not a slogan. No matter how long it takes, the ideals of self-determination and free speech cannot be pepper sprayed, tear gassed, or bombed away. I know it, and every other activist I marched with knows it.
Joel Astbury is a student and peace activist based in Texas who joined the CODEPINK contingent on July 24 to protest Benjamin Netanyahu’s congressional address.
