Pro-Palestinian protestors took to the streets on “Super Saturday” en masse, protesting on the day before Christmas Eve, which is often a time shoppers try to pick up last-minute gifts before the holidays.
The “Shut it Down for Palestine” movement, made up of pro-Palestinian groups, had plans to “organize actions to boycott, disrupt, and rally at commercial centers on Dec. 23,” according to the website of the ANSWER Coalition activist group.
“The genocidal Israeli assault on Gaza is continuing with incredible cruelty,” the activist group’s website read. “This Christmas, occupation forces are sniping Christians sheltering in their besieged churches in Gaza and Christians in Bethlehem have declared that their celebrations are canceled. People everywhere must continue to declare that there can be no Christmas as usual during a genocide!”
Posts on social media appeared to show large pro-Palestinian protests in cities like New York City, Chicago, London, Los Angeles and Toronto. In one clip, protesters in New York City appeared to be chanting, “While you’re shopping, bombs are dropping.”
Health officials in Gaza said that over 20,000 people have been killed in the territory during the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas Friday. The war, which began Oct. 7 with an attack by Hamas on Israel that killed 1,200 Israelis, is about to come up on the three-month mark.
On Friday, The United Nations (U.N.) Security Council passed a resolution stepping up aid to Gaza that also called for the quick release of hostages currently held by Hamas. Despite thirteen countries voting for the resolution, the U.S. and Russia abstained.
“Colleagues, today this council made clear that addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza needs to remain at the forefront of our agenda,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said following the vote.