Chanting 'Long live Palestine' as they marched up Broadway, signs held aloft while waving the tri-color flag of Palestine, the marchers were part of a protest aimed at persuading elected leaders to press for a ceasefire and an end to what they called the Israeli occupation, said Sarah Farouq, community organizer with the San Diego for Palestine Coalition.
Palestinian militants, in turn have retaliated with fire rockets into Israel. The fallout from the Hamas attack continues to grow, with the death toll of those in Gaza estimated to be more than 4,300. Signs and chants of the demonstrators Saturday attested to their fears and frustrations over the daily battles in Israel — 'Free Palestine,' 'Your tax dollars kill children,' 'Stop funding genocide.' Farouq emphasized that the downtown march was not meant to be anti-Israeli.