Statement of Solidarity from Baltimore-Palestine Solidarity to the Black youth leading the Baltimore Uprising 10/20/15

Baltimore Palestine Solidarity was founded as a result of the 2014 massacre and siege of Gaza, through solidarity actions that took the streets of the city to stand with Palestine. Not too long thereafter, we found ourselves in the streets again, this time for the massacres at the hands of police taking place right here in the US; and more specifically in Baltimore.

We see a direct connection between the colonization, occupation, and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people; and the mass incarceration, police terror, and occupation of Black Americans/people of African descent and their most oppressed communities. Whether it be in historic and contemporary methods of housing discrimination and demolition or through the shared tactical training and weapons of the Baltimore Police and the Israeli military. As our communities and networks are brought closer together in struggle, the parallels in our resistance movements have become increasingly apparent. Our task is not to blindly blur the differences among individual oppressions, but to shine a bright light on the similarities and to root our movements of solidarity in that which binds us. We see this with the recently published ‘Black Solidarity With Palestine‘ statement, which was signed by over 1,000 Black individuals and organizations.

A youth throws a rock at police on April 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. Violent street clashes erupted in Baltimore after friends and family gathered for the funeral of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man whose death in custody triggered a fresh wave of protests over US police tactics. Police said at least seven officers were injured — one of them was unresponsive — as youths hurled bricks and bottles and destroyed at least one police vehicle in the vicinity of the shopping mall not far from the church where the funeral took place. AFP PHOTO / BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Here in Baltimore, following the murder of Freddie Gray at the hands of 6 Baltimore police officers, an uprising took place that gave inspiration to many struggling for liberation around the world– including Palestine. As a result, there have been many demands put forth from communities that were previously silenced by public policy and youth who have long been ignored by local politicians. Just last week, when they occupied City Hall, we saw the power of those young voices and the loud echoes they can make when united to struggle for liberation.

We stand in solidarity with those youth of Baltimore in their demands for greater police accountability, an end to the state enabled sexual harassment of women in Gilmor Homes, funds being allocated toward social justice oriented youth programs, and justice for all those murdered and abused by the Baltimore City Police Department.” -Baltimore-Palestine Solidarity (BPS)