Hannah Jane Schuh Media - Mizzou protests for ceasefire in Gaza continue through True/False

Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine President Isleen Atallah leads the march on the way to Columbia City Hall. Atallah led back-and-forth chants like "free, free Palestine," and "not another nickel, not another dime, no more funding genocide."

Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine protests for ceasefire in Gaza continue through True/False

Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine protesters began their day at the Missouri Theatre to watch “Three Promises,” a True/False Film Fest documentary on March 2, 2024. MSJP President Isleen Atallah said True/False reached out to MSJP and offered them free tickets to the film, which told the story of a Palestinian family in the early 2000s through childhood home videos. Following the film, MSJP met at Speakers Circle and marched through True/False festivities to demand a ceasefire, ending the march in front of City Hall.

MSJP has held weekly protests beginning Oct. 17, 2023. This protest occurred a month and a half after Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe signed a Gaza ceasefire proclamation brought to city council.

Published with The Maneater.

Protesters walk down Ninth Street on the way to Columbia City Hall. Although the march was hosted by a university organization, all Columbia residents were invited to join.

A protester holds up a “Ceasefire Now” sign in front of Starbucks on Ninth Street. While passing Starbucks, protesters shouted, “Starbucks, Starbucks, you can’t hide — you are funding genocide.”

MSJP President Isleen Atallah leads the back-and-forth chants with protestors at Broadway and Ninth streets on the way to Columbia City Hall. MSJP has marched to city hall demanding a ceasefire almost every Saturday since Oct. 17. “I’m genuinely exhausted,” said Atallah. “I have schoolwork, I also have a job. But it’s very important to keep that sense of community here in Columbia.”

Protesters continue to chant while waiting for traffic to stop. "I'm here to protest the US involvement in cooperation with the Israli government for the genocide that is going on, and has been going on for 75 years," said Michael Barry. "What we can do in the US is just protest and let our representatives know 'you don't speak for us.'"

MSJP President Isleen Atallah speaks to the crowd of protesters about Gaza death rates. “Everytime we look around, there’s more people,” Atallah said about the number of protesters joining the marches each week. “Even if our efforts don’t impact what’s happening in Gaza directly, it’s shifting the narrative. It’s shifting the whole dehumanization of Palestinians.”

Syed Inam holds up his daughter Alizay, 3, as she chants “Free Palestine.” “She is also understanding the pain,” Inam said. “She is too young to see that, but the world is seeing. We cannot shut our eyes.”

Charity Clark participates in a moment of silence in front of Columbia City Hall. “I don’t want to tell my children I was complicit or I didn’t do anything when a genocide was going on,” Clark said after marching. “It’s extremely upsetting. Every day it tears me up.”