CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hundreds gathered in Uptown Saturday to take part in a pro-Palestine rally.
Palestinian flags waved and participants held signs reading “Stop the invasion,” “Free Palestine,” and “We stand with Palestine" written as messages, among others.
The rally comes as Gaza's health ministry said Sunday more than 35,000 people had been killed since Oct. 7, most of them women and children.
Jena Awad, president of Charlotte United for Palestine, said citizen's tax dollars are being used for the effort that has claimed the lives of civilians.
“It’s very simple. It’s a humanitarian issue, it’s a humanitarian cause,” she said. “Those are our tax dollars, and we deserve those tax dollars to be spent in our communities and to support our communities here in the US as we have people in debt for education and medical debt. People here deserve that money."
During the rally, multiple people gave speeches - notably mentioning the recent encampment on UNC Charlotte’s campus - all before they took to the streets of Uptown in a march.
“I feel terrible. It feels terrible to know that I paid to fund this genocide – it’s absolutely crazy. It’s crazy that they’re using our students’ money to pay for the genocide, that’s absolutely ridiculous,” said Bilal Bounemia, a former UNC Charlotte student.
He added students will continue to rally “for as long as it takes.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists the fighting is necessary to ensure the destruction of Hamas following the attacks on Israel that saw around 1,200 people killed and more than 200 taken hostage.
Elijah Bilyu was at Saturday's march in support of Israel.
“It feels like I’m one of many, but I just can’t let that light go out,” said Bilyu. “They shouldn’t have to be in fear of this. They should have the courage to come out and support the country that’s theirs."
Contact Anna King at aking2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.