Grandmothers and Mothers Unite for an End to the Genocide
CODEPINK's Mother's Day 2024 Report Back
This Mother’s Day, CODEPINK and Raging Grannies from across the country descended on the nation’s capitol with their loved ones to demand an end to the genocide in Gaza and advocate for a free Palestine.
“My child had access to health care, housing, and education. As a nurse, I had access to treatments for my patients. Now, my tax dollars pay for mothers in Gaza to endure babies starving to death, children suffering deep burns from white phosphorus, children having limbs amputated with no anesthesia, and children traumatized from bombings. I am beyond heartsick and outraged. It is my responsibility to act,” explained Alice Sutter, a mother, retired nurse, and Raging Granny from New York.
70% of the people killed in Israel’s genocide in Gaza are women. Mothers are experiencing some of the worst human rights violations right now. The women who attended were there to give a voice to the voiceless and bring attention to the Palestinian mothers whose lives are being ended and destroyed by the U.S.-funded genocide.
On Thursday, the group visited the congressional offices of grandmothers, delivering a petition demanding our elected officials stop funding weapons and move the money to UNRWA to care for the Mothers, Grandmothers, and their loved ones in Gaza.
They also read out the Mother's Day Plea for Peace in an attempt to appeal to the humanity of those in power.
Along with delivering the petition and reading the plea for peace, members of the group also exposed all the lies that Congress and the media keep telling that lead to the death of mothers and their children.
On Thursday evening, mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and sons amplified this call, singing for lasting peace and the liberation of oppressed peoples everywhere at Washington City Church. The event featured captivating performances by artists, including the Black Workers Center Chorus, Colleen Kattau, DC Labor Chorus, Emma’s Revolution, Annie Hassett, Pam Rogers, Raging Grannies, Song Rise, and more.
Some mothers who attended the days of action brought their children.
“I can’t imagine how it feels for an older sister in Gaza to have a little sister or little brother murdered, blown to pieces,” said a daughter of one of the families joining us in Congress t his week ahead of Mother’s Day shared why they are fighting for the families in Palestine.
Mothers who have lost sons to police violence were also showed up for Gaza.
"We are so tired of the killings. We're tired of the war. We're tired of the racism." said Darlene Cain, founder of Mothers on the Move, who joined us in Congress this week and shared how losing her son to the police has impacted her as losing children is impacting so many moms in Gaza. The genocidal violence of Israel is borderless; many U.S. cops who indiscriminately kill Black people receive training from IDF soldiers.
On Friday, a large group of mothers just dropped several banners in the Senate Hart Building reading: “STOP ARMING GENOCIDE,” “LET GAZA LIVE,” “NO FUNDING FOR GENOCIDE,” “NO FUNDING FOR WAR CRIMES,” “STOP GENOCIDE IN GAZA.”
Police quickly interrupted the singing and threatened the group with arrest.
On Sunday, over on the West Coast, . The CODEPINK San Francisco held their 18th annual Mother’s Day march across the Golden Gate Bridge gathering brought together a diverse blend of families and individuals who want an end to the genocide in Gaza and a free Palestine. The marchers received overwhelming support from the passing motorists, many of whom honked their horns in solidarity with the action.
San Diego CODEPINK also stood in solidarity with Gaza on Mother’s Day. when members joined Mothers Against Bombs and Veterans for Peace to pass out fliers and flowers to passerbyers on Mission Bay — reminding their community of the urgency of stopping the forced starvation and mass killing in Gaza that is fueled by US weapons.
On November 7, 2023, the children of Gaza held a press conference to plead with the international community to protect their lives. At that time, Israel had already needlessly murdered 4200 children. That number has tragically tripled since then. There is no benefit, no excuse to support this endless slaughter. We will not rest until all the mothers, fathers, and children of Palestine see peace & justice.
Click Here to View All The Beautiful Pictures from D.C. Days of Actions
Originally published at
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