In July 2019, AFSC and Voices for Creative Nonviolence, with partners in Chicago and the US Boat to Gaza initiative, organized three days of action to call for an end to the blockade and military occupation of Gaza. The actions marked five years since Israel began a 51-day military assault on Gaza resulting in over 1,200 Palestinian deaths. The Chicago events included a public educational gathering “Why Gaza Matters to Us”, a protest march to the headquarters of Boeing, a large weapons manufacturer profiting from war, and a “flotilla” on the Chicago River where kayakers, boats and foot passengers held banners calling for Palestinian freedom.

Pawlet Grajnert recently released “Free Gaza Chicago River Flotilla” a short documentary film about these solidarity actions, which can be watched above or here: https://youtu.be/Dd_fMJuED5Y