Portland actions back pro-Palestine store workers, disrupt tree lighting
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Portland, Oregon On one of the busiest food shopping days of the year, Nov. 22, Portland protesters rallied at New Seasons Market, demanding management stop harassing employees who openly support a free Palestine and an end to Israeli apartheid. After demonstrators blocked both parking lot

Over 1,000 Palestine supporters held a militant demonstration during Portland’s tree lighting ceremony at Pioneer Courthouse Square on Nov. 24 — “Black Friday.” The booming crowd chanted for two hours as they took over the square between the city’s stage and the audience. When the stage sound system was turned up to the maximum, attempting to drown out the demonstration, protesters just got louder and more militant!

Pro-Palestine protest disrupts tree lighting in Portland, Oregon, Nov. 24, 2023. Credit: Lyn Neeley

When night fell, demonstrators turned on their phone flashes in their own Free Palestine lighting ceremony.

The only time the chanting stopped was when two Native speakers spoke to acknowledge that those present were gathered on Native land. As soon as they were through, the crowd raised their voices, fists and flags, calling out “Land Back Now!”

(Emphasis original.)