CINCINNATI — There was a small demonstration Thursday morning in downtown Cincinnati as protesters called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The protest, which was organized by the Cincinnati Socialists and Students for Justice in Palestine, took place in front of the Federal Building.
Those at the demonstration condemned antisemitism but also said they wanted Palestinians to have the freedom Israelis have.
"(Our) hope is to try to build solidarity among the working class people of Cincinnati and the working and oppressed people throughout the world," Tino Bernard said. "We need to come together to stop this genocide that's happening."
The group also asked for the U.S. government to stop funding Israel, pointing to events like the hospital bombings as unacceptable acts that make it harder to trust Israel's government.
"We don't rely on the government to stop this, but we want to put pressure on them," Bernard said. "Showing them that we the people, if we put pressure on them, we can make things happen."
Bernard said it's also important that people realize the Israel-Palestine conflict did not start in October but rather has a long-stretching history.
A week prior to this smaller demonstration, the Cincinnati Socialists, as well as other groups, held a much larger demonstration in Over-the-Rhine's Ziegler Park. That demonstration marched through OTR's streets demanding no more U.S. aid to Israel.
In October, there was also another massive rally in Ziegler Park in support of Palestine. Hundreds marched from the park to Fountain Square, with many frustrated at the lack of inclusion in local leaders' statements of support for Israel.
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