WALLA WALLA — Walla Walla joined the global community in organizing displays of grief and support amid recent conflict and violence in the Middle East on Thursday, Oct. 12, the fifth day since Israel declared war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Students, political organizers and community members Oct. 12 took to downtown Walla Walla to honor victims and gather in solidarity.

{p class=”tncms-inline-link”}Photos: Walla Walla residents march, attend vigil for Palestinian, Israeli victimsWhitman College’s Students for Justice in Palestine and the regional Party for Socialism and Liberation led a campus march from Ankeny Field to Walawàla Plaza at 4:15 p.m., Oct. 12, showing solidarity with Palestinian victims and advocating for the U.S. to end its aid to Israel.

At a separate gathering, community members held a candlelight vigil for Israeli victims at 7 p.m. at Land Title Plaza.

Candlelight vigilCounty resident Brian Fullen set out to organize a candlelight vigil for Israeli victims after seeing videos and photos of violence in the Middle East.

“Since COVID, everybody’s been so angry, and I just thought ‘I want to do something in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel and just have something peaceful,’” he said.

Fullen, who lit candles for about 20 people who attended the vigil at 7 p.m. at Land Title Plaza, said he hopes the service helps people find some peace.

Milton-Freewater pastor Tim Sanchez played his guitar and led the group in prayer and song.

“Our God is an Awesome God,” “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High,” and “Amazing Grace” were among the songs he selected for the vigil.

Sanchez sang into a microphone as attendees swayed and repeated the lyrics back to him and prayed for peace.

“That’s why we came,” he said. “To lead the folks in a prayer. To show them that one light lighting another light lighting another light can affect the whole area. If we can be at peace with our neighbors, if we can be at peace with those down the street, then that peace can rub off.”

Student demonstration

Whitman College student organizer Sam Johnson said the march was to protest mass genocide and violence inflicted on Palestinians.

Block letters painted and printed on signs held by demonstrators included calls to “Free Palestine,” “End the occupation,” and “End all U.S. aid to Israel.”

“We are voicing support for Palestinians and mourning lives lost,” Johnson said in an interview before addressing the group and giving guidelines for the march that would follow sidewalks and crosswalks along Boyer Avenue to East Main Street with a turnaround point at Walawàla Plaza.

He also acknowledged the vigil at 7 p.m. to mourn the lives lost in Israel.

“So we want to be mindful of that. We want to be respectful,” he said.

As marchers took up the route, the group of about 75 people echoed chants amplified by Whitman College junior Franko Omair.

Omair is from the Palestinian West Bank and said he believes Palestinians have the right to resist injustices against them and deserve to live peacefully.

“I’m hoping that the march conveys that we stand with peace,” Omair said. “We stand with freedom. But peace cannot be achieved unless the Palestinian people are free.”

Omair was confronted by a man as the demonstrators marched along East Main Street, heading back to the college. The man grabbed his shoulders and clothing and shouted verbal threats, as demonstrators and event organizers, wearing neon vests, moved to get between them.

Omair and the other students continued along the route. Campus security responded when, as the group ended their march in front of Memorial Hall, the man approached again and resumed shouting.

Whitman College spokesperson Heidi Pitts said in an email Oct. 13 that no report was filed because the person who followed the students left campus when asked to by security.

Omair, who lived through military occupation on the West Bank, according to an article by the Whitman Wire, said he once faced an Israeli sniper at a peaceful protest.

“This is nothing compared to that, but this is still showing people being against free speech,” Omair said. “I do believe no matter what you believe in, no matter what your ideas are, you should be able to say them with full security and be protected.”

Organizers said the demonstration was planned as a collective and alongside other student groups throughout the country that have organized similar protests.

The event concluded in time for students to attend a 6 p.m. screening of “Free the People,” a film documenting the Black Lives Matter movement in Washington, D.C., in 2020.