'Labor Against Genocide' marches to Wyden's house

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Hundreds of people gathered near US Sen. Ron Wyden’s home in Southeast Portland to pressure him to “oppose genocide and weapons sales to Israel.”

Two thing happened this week. The Trump Administration announced a proposal to sell nearly $6 billion in weapons to Israel. And Sen. Jeff Merkley introduced a resolution calling for Trump to recognize a “demilitarized Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.”

Olivia Katbi, the co-chair of the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, told KOIN 6 News they want Wyden to follow Merkley’s lead.

“Senator Merkley has co-sponsored legislation to stop sending weapons to Israel,” Katbi said. “Sign on to the legislation to stop supporting the weapons that are going to Israel to commit this genocide.”

The “Labor Against Genocide” marchers, urged to “dress in mourning,” began at Berkley Park on Southeast Bybee and Cesar Chavez Boulevard and walked to Wyden’s house. The funeral march, as organizers called it, included a brass band and coffins as marchers carried signs that read “No arms for Israel,” “Fund care, not bombs” and “No more dead kids.”

Katbi said it was important to involve the unions in this effort.

“All over the world, we are seeing organized workers, unions, dockworkers refusing to handle weapons that are going to Israel, divesting their pension funds from complicit companies,” Katbi said. “And so we really wanted to bring together the unions locally.”

Protesters spoke in front of Wyden’s home for about an hour as neighbors watched. After the speeches were done, the protesters peacefully walked back to the park.

KOIN 6 News reached out to Sen. Wyden’s office for comment and has not yet heard back.

The “Labor Against Genocide” rally and march was organized by the Democratic Socialists of America that brought together members of different unions, including the Portland State University Faculty Association, SEIU Local 089, the Communications Workers of America Local 7091, the New Seasons Labor Union. the Federal Unionists Network and AFSCME Local 88.

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Ariel Salk

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