Mutaz Alshawa spoke movingly, almost poetically, of olive trees in his homeland, of water, of his family, and the sun now shining on a place he said was being expropriated or destroyed by Israelis. But he also commented, on this Oct. 7 anniversary of the Hamas attack that incited Israel’s war on Gaza, that his audience should not necessarily focus on this date, because every day “under Zionist aggression” was pretty much the same. Catherine Esperanza, riffing on a description of Gaza as an “open-air prison,” called Hamas’ attack on Israelis—which was the largest slaughter of Jewish men, women, and children since the Holocaust—as “not an attack, but a prison break.” Judas Graves, of Portland for Palestine, led the now-familiar chants of “Free, free, free Palestine!”

That was how about 100 people in downtown Portland marked the third anniversary of Hamas’ lethal Gaza-based attack on Israelis, and the immediate start of Israel’s retaliatory war, which so far has killed over 70,000 people and leveled most of Gaza.

The Portland event reflected larger tensions nationwide about how to recognize the third anniversary of the war, and whose pain should be centered when discussing the atrocities that began with the Hamas attack. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdami was condemned by supporters of Israel for discussing Gazan casualties in his Oct. 7 memorial statement, and booed by pro-Palestinian protesters for appearing at a vigil for Hamas’ Jewish victims.

The Portland rally, held in Terry Schrunk Plaza and organized by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) and Portland for Palestine (P4P), focused on the suffering of Gazans, and on what the organizers refer to as the complicity of American politicians—singling out U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Oregon)—with Israel’s military capabilities. The United Nations Commission of Inquiry last year described Israel’s actions in Gaza as fulfilling the conditions for genocide, a claim which figured in every one of the speeches.

Given the passionate support for Palestine that has animated parts of Portland’s left political flank, it was noteworthy that a rally for Gaza on Oct. 7 was a bridge too far for any elected official—including the Democratic Socialists holding city and state office—and drew only a modest crowd.

Several other progressive groups lent support to the two principal organizations organizing the rally. Daniel Shea spoke of the futility of armed aggression on behalf of the Portland chapter of Veterans For Peace. He wore a T-shirt quoting Dwight D. Eisenhower, the general who successfully managed D-Day during World War II, on the brutality and stupidity of war. One man carried a flag celebrating the 1979 Iranian revolution, led by cleric Ayatollah Khamenei, which overthrew the Western-oriented Shah.

The rally wrapped quickly, and in less than an hour the group, led by Kayce Desantis of P4P, started a brief march through the areas surrounding City Hall. The back of the march was guarded by the familiar yellow fire truck, the “World On Fire Department” vehicle now an institution at progressive events. A single pro-Israel protester wearing a jersey with American and Israeli flags yelled at the marchers, but there were no reports of violence or vandalism.

OCT. 7: About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) OCT. 7: Daniel Shea, president of the Portland chapter of Veterans for Peace, addresses the crowd. About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) OCT. 7: About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) OCT. 7: Kacey Desantis with P4P—Portland for Palestine—leads the march. About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) OCT. 7: About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) OCT. 7: David Rovics sings about Gaza. About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) Protests on October 7 Anniversary of Israel-Gaza War PORTLAND, OREGON, USA – October 7, 2026: Catheriine Esperanza, a psychologist, addresses the crowd. About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza. © John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) OCT. 7: The World on Fire Truck displays pro-Palestine slogans. About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) OCT. 7: About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026) OCT. 7: A man holds a flag from revolutionary Iran, led by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979. About 100 people from an array of pro-Palestine groups rallied in Portland and heard speeches opposing Israel, on October 7, the third anniversary of the attack on Israel by the forces of Hamas, and the start of the current war by Israel against Gaza.

© John Rudoff 2026 (John Rudoff/Photo Credit: ©John Rudoff 2026)

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