Protesters wearing Palestinian regalia standing on the driveway outside the American Consulate in Cape Town [Photo: Ilyaas Bassardien]

Ilyaas Bassardien – Reporter  

CAPE TOWN – In honour of International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, several anti-Genocide protesters in Cape Town showed their solidarity in front of the United States Consulate. Demonstrators chose this location for their protest because of the US ‘iron clad’ support for the Zionist entity, enabling the genocide of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip and continuing apartheid throughout Occupied Palestine.  

The protest was attended by representatives from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), labour federation, Cosatu, and SA Jews for a Free Palestine amongst others.  

The event was also attended by a diverse group of people from different races and age groups. 

Reddam Avenue was a sea of red, black, white and green as demonstrators showed their solidarity with the Palestinian people [Photo: Ilyaas Bassardien]

Several of the protesters called for an end to the genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip [Photo: Ilyaas Bassardien]

U.S., U.S. You can’t hide: Activists also chanted slogans criticizing the American government’s complicity in the oppression of Palestinians [Photo: Ilyaas Bassardien]

MURDERED BY ISRAEL: Some activists held up posters of those who were martyred in the besieged Gaza Strip to show that Palestinians are more than just statistics [Photo: Ilyaas Bassardien]

A reminder to boycott 

University student and activist, Hajar Ahjum Mathee, strongly reminded the crowd of the importance of boycotting. 

“We talk about stopping the US, but how is the US able to continue? …Because they thrive off us spending money and running when they scream: ‘Sale!’ We take our hard-earned money and spend it on the products that allow them to keep funding and keep supporting and keep arming the Zionist entity!”  

Ahjum-Mathee continued by mentioning brands many still consume today.

“If you are eating McDonalds still, drinking Coke products…buying Nestle, buying Cadbury; you are complicit in genocide. It starts with every single one of us, we have the numbers. We just need the action.”

University student and activist, Hajar Ahjum-Mathee (Centre) also reminded protesters to also stand with oppressed people everywhere, including the people of Congo and Sudan. [Photo: Ilyaas Bassardien]

‘BOYCOTT ISRAEL’ says this woman’s earring [Photo: Ilyaas Bassardien]

A refusal to sign 

The group of representatives had attempted to give a memorandum of demands to the US Consulate General in Cape Town. However, according to the PSC’s Professor Usuf Chikte, a security guard was sent instead. Protesters were also told to email the document.  

Prof Usuf Chikte (front right) and Martin Jansen (back right) from the PSC along with Cosatu Western Cape’s Malvern De Bruyn trying to gain clarity from US Consulate security [Photo: Ilyaas Bassardien]

Defying the (world) order 

As activists attempted to give the memorandum to the Consulate General, some protesters crossed the street to wave Palestinians flags directly in front of the US Consulate signage and on its lawns and driveways; a peaceful act of defiance. However, police escorted them back to the other side of the road, where a Nyala arrived moments after.  

[Photos: Ilyaas Bassardien]