On the morning of Sunday, Aug. 18, over 100 people gathered at Tiguex Park for a pro-Palestine rally and march calling for a permanent ceasefire and an arms embargo on Israel.
The Albuquerque rally was one of several “Not Another Bomb” rallies that took place in cities across the country before the Democratic National Convention, which began on Monday, Aug. 19, according to Mother Jones.
Uncommitted New Mexico primarily led the rally. “Uncommitted” is a national movement applying pressure on the Democratic Party and warning that they could lose voters this presidential election without an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an arms embargo on Israel, according to Politico.
An arms embargo is a penalty that can be used to coerce actors to improve their behavior for international peace and security, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
On Thursday, Aug. 15, Gaza’s Health Ministry announced that over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, over 16,000 of whom are children and over 11,000 are women, according to Al Jazeera.
Speakers at the rally included New Mexico Sen. Linda López, New Mexico Rep. Eleanor Chávez, UNM students and faculty, and individuals representing Jewish Voice for Peace, Youth United for Climate Crisis Action and other organizations.
Tanya Hyde from Jewish Voice for Peace Albuquerque spoke about the pressure the Uncommitted movement would bring to this year’s Democratic National Convention.
“We are rallying to put pressure on the Democratic Party and demand ‘not another bomb’. We are also signaling our solidarity with the Uncommitted delegates and the 10,000 plus activists expected to show up in Chicago this week,” Hyde said to the crowd.
Crowd members chanted “not another bomb,” “you must listen to your base” and “Kamala, Kamala, you can’t hide; we won’t vote for genocide.”
After the rally, the crowd marched and chanted with banners, signs, flags and giant puppets. The march went through Old Town Plaza and returned to Tiguex Park.
Katherine Hughes-Fraitekh, director of activist group Solidarity 2020 and Beyond, said she came to the rally hoping there will finally be a change in national policy.
“I'm hoping that (the Democratic Party) will take the moral position … what's best for their politics — because of the Uncommitted campaign — should be working on an arms embargo against Israel and calling for a permanent ceasefire, since most of our base supports that,” Hughes-Fraitekh said.
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Thirty Uncommitted delegates are attending the DNC, according to Al Jazeera. Uncommitted voters are cautiously optimistic about Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, according to Source New Mexico.
Feleecia Guillen, University of New Mexico student and director of communications and outreach for UNM Leaders for Environmental Action and Foresight, said she thinks the Uncommitted movement played a role in President Joe Biden dropping out of the presidential race.
“The Uncommitted movement was (at the rally); they were loud. They had over 13,000 people here in New Mexico vote in the primaries uncommitted, which was a powerful movement telling our elected officials that we will not compromise our beliefs and what is happening in Gaza for anything else,” Guillen said.
Chávez mentioned a recent Israeli attack on al-Tabin School in Gaza, which was sheltering displaced civilians. The attack killed over 100 people as they gathered for dawn prayer, and at least two of the bombs used were American Boeing bombs, according to Al Jazeera.
Andre Montoya-Barthelemy is a faculty member at UNM School of Medicine. He spoke about student movements applying pressure at UNM.
“We take the advice of the students. They set up the encampment, they forced the administration to listen and they got the administration promise to disclose their investments. (UNM administration hasn’t) done it yet, but we’re still waiting and they promised,” Montoya-Barthelemy said.
Leila Chapa is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on X @paloma_chapa88
Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @paloma_chapa88
