MIAMI.- Orlando Police reported that approximately 1,200 people gathered at a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Saturday afternoon in Lake Eola Park in that central Florida city, with two people arrested and several affected by pepper spray.
According to an official statement, the arrested individuals will face charges of assault on a law enforcement officer.
Orlando Police also confirmed that they used a “handheld chemical agent” to control the group of people who became “disruptive” after the demonstration had passed in apparent calm.
Protesters reported that police approached an organizer who was addressing the crowd through a megaphone. As they attempted to form a chain in response to the police presence, the situation became tense and culminated in arrests.
Likewise, some participants in the protest argued that there were no threats or violence from their group.
“The Orlando Police Department is committed to keeping everyone safe who chooses to peacefully assemble in the city of Orlando, while also maintaining the safety of residents and businesses,” the police agency said.
Motivation for the protest in Orlando
The rally was organized by the Florida Palestinian Network, South Florida Jewish Voices for Peace, Bay Area Dream Advocates and other groups. People from all over the state attended the event, according to organizers.
Rasha Mubarak, a member of the Florida Palestinian Network, stated: “We are facing a gradual invasion in Rafah. We have been in the midst of a genocide for seven months, and 40,000 Palestinians have lost their lives. We demand an immediate and lasting ceasefire.”
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J. PEDROZO
Organizers also commemorated the start of the Nakba on May 15, 1948. The Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in English, marked the mass displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians following the formation of the Israeli state after World War II.
During the protest, many people carried signs and expressed demands at the state and national level.
In late April, dozens of University of Florida students held a pro-Palestinian protest that ended with the arrest of at least nine participants.
In a visit to the university faculty, Governor Ron DeSantis stated that he will not allow universities to be taken over to establish camps due to the situation in the Middle East.
