Detroiters ‘occupy’ Jefferson Avenue to protest war in Gaza

Dozens of protesters gathered at the Detroit riverfront on Wednesday to criticize Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, where United Nations experts have warned Palestinians face a “grave risk of genocide.” Protesters marched to the Renaissance Center building, where they “occupied” the street and scrawled pro-Palestinian images on the ground, including a character named Handala, depicted as a resilient 10-year-old child. While Detroit police helped direct traffic for the march to take place, at one point things got heated when officers ordered the protesters to leave E. Jefferson Avenue, leading to chants of “No justice, no peace, fuck these racist-ass police.” There was no dispersal order or unlawful assembly announcement, however, nor incidents or arrests reported, and the protesters eventually decided to head back to the riverfront.