Local Activists Urge Ceasefire

“Stop the genocide!” a group of 20 or so protesters — most over the age of 50 — walking down 12th Avenue and Willamette shouted Monday afternoon, Nov. 13. Organized by Planet Versus Pentagon, protesters gathered outside of Oregon state Rep. Val Hoyle’s office to drop off yet another letter urging Hoyle to demand a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine.

After chanting in front of Hoyle’s office building, protesters walked to the Wayne Lyman Morse U.S. Courthouse, where they left letters for Oregon senators and signs in front of the building.

“I am here because I am really upset about the 4,000 children in Palestine that have been slaughtered,” local activist Susan Macomson says. “And our complicity in it and our politicians’ complicity.”

The Ministry of Health in Ramallah has reported that Israel has killed more than 10,000 Palestinians — 41 percent of them are children — since Hamas’ attack on Israel which killed nearly 1,200 Israelis. Several Democrats in the House of Representatives have co-sponsored Resolution 786, which demands President Joe Biden call for a ceasefire in Gaza. So far, no Oregon legislators have signed the resolution.

One of the younger protesters present, Kamyrn Alexandria, says Oregon politicians could support the resolution and “end the bloodshed.” She continues, “Eugene City Council could join the growing list of cities that are passing resolutions and calling for a ceasefire.”

This protest is one of the many Eugene has seen in the past month with university students gathering at the Erb Memorial Union last Thursday, Nov. 9, and Eugene medical workers planning to protest Wednesday, Nov. 15.

Oregon activists at Monday’s protest say that Eugene can expect to see more demonstrations until Oregon politicians demand a ceasefire in Gaza.

Local community organizer Steven Dear wants politicians across the country to feel the moral pressure from these protests. “Political leaders need to be on the right side of history,” Dear says. “It’s time to stop caring about their careers and start thinking about the children and families in Gaza.”