One of the Many Signs Held by a Protestor at a Recent Emergency Protest in Portland,
One of the Signs at June 28th Rendezvous at Deering Oaks Park, Portland,
One of Numerous Signs at the Recent NO KINGS DAY Rally in Portland Calling Out Senator Susan Collins (R) for Doing Nothing to Stand up to Trump Authoriatism.
Jonathan Haines, of Biddeford and Jocelyn Jones, Both Fasters for Gaza, Holding up a Sign at the Rendezvous, in Deering Oaks Park June 28, 2025..
One of Several Signs at Recent “Emergency Protest” Calling for the US to Stop Funding Genocide in Gaza.
This evening at 7:00 pm., there will be a Vigil at Monument Square to honor the martyrs and those permanently disabled and maimed by Israel’s unrelenting genocide in Gaza according to a press release received from the Coalition for Palestine Maine early this afternoon.
This Portland Vigil follows a full day of rallies, disruptions and protests that took place today – starting at 8:00 am – ending at 8:00 pm this evening.
The morning began with a press conference and rally before the criminal court arraignment of 10 Palestinian solidarity protestors. The group, ages 22 – 87, was arrested with 10 others on May 21 for blocking Commercial Street and charged with Class E misdemeanors for Obstructing a Public Way. Following their arraignments, they made their way from the Courthouse to Monument Square to join protestors in a name reading demonstration, honoring over 59,000 martyrs in Gaza since Israel’s assaults began: 1800 pages hold the names of the martyrs, from age 0 – 100+ Smaller demonstrations were held in the city for the duration of the readings.
At 5:00 more community members gathered for an Empty Pots March through downtown, drawing attention to the forced faminie currently choking over 2 mlilion Palestinians in the besieged enclave.
According to the “Palestinian Centre for Human Rights,” “the latest report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) issued in May 2025, indicated that nearly half a million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic levels of hunger, classified as Phase 5, the most severe level of food insecurity.” Phase 5, also known as catastrophie or famine, is characaterized by widespread starvation, destitution and irreversible effects like organ failure and stunting. It signifies a complete lack of access to food and other basic needs, with significantly elevated death rates. PCHR goes on to say: “”the report confirmed that the entire population of the Strip is suffering from acute food insecurity at varyng levels. About two months after the release of this report, the situation has further deteriorated, deepening the tragedy endured the tragedy endured by Gaza’s population, partticularly as the 10F continues to use starvation as a weapon of war under the full view of the whole world.”
This week, the UK joined Canada, Fance, Italy, Australia, and dozens of other ally nations to condemn Israel’s starvation and “unhumane killing” of Gaza civilians seeking aid. Their statement says “the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. “We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 1,050 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.” Israeli and American fores regularly fire on crowds of thousands of people heading to the aid sites, run by the Gaza, including strikes that have killed “desperate starving children.”
According to one arrested member of the group and a descendent of Nazi genocide survivors Jamila Levasseur, “Israel is systematically starving everyone in Gaza from babies to the elderly and has escalated bombing, Israel is carrying out its own version of Hitler’s Final Solution and could not do this without help from the US.” In June. 38 Mainers joined 800 protestors nationwide in a Veterans for Peace 40-day Fast for Gaza, including several who sent on a 250 calorie per day hunger strike in solidarity with starving Palestinians. “We demand unfettered resumption of humanitarian aid, under UN authority and that the US stop arming Israel now. Israel and the US must reestablish the ceasefire and get out of Gaza.”
Maine Coalition for Palestine is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals working in solidarity toward Palestinian rights and liberation from occupation.
For more background on the “Fast for Gaza” event, please visit posts herein dated June 27 and June 28, 2025.