Approximately 30 protesters took to the sidewalks of Hopkins Street chanting “Free Palestine” on Wednesday, July 24, protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint Congress.
Palestine Solidarity SMTX (SMTXPS) organized yesterday’s “Hopkins St Protest” march. It lasted two hours and consisted of approximately six half-mile laps beginning at the Hays County Veterans Memorial, with demonstrators stopping at two traffic lights where hundreds of cars driving by witnessed the protest.
“Despite what’s being reported… our country decided we’re going to go ahead and welcome with open arms, the literal genocide-in-chief in charge of that, and I just think it’s reprehensible,” Amanda Rodriguez, a community member, said.
SMTXPS Founding Member Scott Cove said the reason for the protest was to show solidarity with the Palestinian people hours after Netanyahu received a standing ovation from Congress at the U.S. Capitol.
During its peak, the San Marcos protest had around 30 people protesting. Cove said he predicted there would only be 10-20 protesters.
“Our protest is so that people in our city can show solidarity with the bigger protests that are gonna be happening all over the country,” Cove said. “We really just wanted people to see on their TV people protesting, and then when they’re driving through town see people in our town care as well.”
While not all attendees had Palestinian backgrounds, San Marcos resident David Abugaber spoke on his personal experience as a third-generation Palestinian, whose grandparents moved from Palestine to Mexico.
“It’s been real heartbreaking for me whenever I seen the news footage, images of little kids that look just like my siblings and my cousins,” Abugaber said. “It doesn’t matter whether or not I happen to share DNA with those people and I think we, as human beings, should transcend that kind of thing and just recognize it.”
Signs at the protest read phrases such as “Stop Genocide”, “Today USA Congress members applauded a war criminal?” and “Free Palestine.”
“As a mom of a small baby to see other parents losing their children, children losing limbs, it’s not a world that I want my child to live in,” Amy Kamp, a community member who brought her baby with her, said.
Although members took turns leading chants with a megaphone, Rodriguez headed most of the laps, ensuring the group could safely cross the road even when the crosswalk signal timed out. Rodriguez was also part of the pro-Palestine sit-in in April on Texas State’s campus.
“If we have to continue to grow and build and change upon our tactics and the way we approach these forms of protest, then that’s what we’re going to have to do because at some point I know they’re trying to make us tired,” Rodriguez said.
The “Hopkins St Protest” did not face any counter-demonstrations, with the primary reactions coming from passing cars, whose drivers either honked or shouted from their windows.
According to Cove, SMTXPS is also planning a Labor Day educational event that will include some Texas State student organizations.
“I think by seeing a group of people who care this much, I hope it will inspire others to also care and also take up some action of their own because it starts with one person,” Manar Naser, a Palestinian Texas State student, said. “I truly believe that just having one person who cares can create that ripple effect.”
This is not the first protest SMTXPS planned in solidarity with Palestine. The organization showed up at multiple city council meetings during the citizen comment section– something Cove said they plan to keep doing especially as multiple San Marcos City Council spots are on the November general election ballot.
Rodriguez said SMTXPS has been trying to get a ceasefire resolution to city council since December but has struggled to get it on the agenda.
