{"id":766,"date":"2025-10-13T23:26:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T23:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/766\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T23:26:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T23:26:13","slug":"ucf-students-protest-2-years-of-israel-hamas-war-in-gaza-outside-orlando-courthouse-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/766\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF students protest 2 years of Israel-Hamas war in Gaza outside Orlando courthouse | Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"UCF<\/p>\n

A protester wraps themselves in the Palestinian flag while chanting and holding up a sign at the “International Day of Resistance” protest in downtown Orlando Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jessica Battisti<\/p>\n

UCF\u2019s Students for a Democratic Society and Young Democratic Socialists of America rallied outside the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in downtown Orlando on Tuesday to protest the second anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Among UCF SDS and YDSA, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization\u2019s Orlando chapter, Orlando for Peace and the Florida Palestine Network were in attendance for the “International Day of Resistance” protest. The organizations demanded that U.S. military and economic ties to Israel be cut, according to their\u00a0co-authored\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0post<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Around 70 people attended the protest and marched around North Hughey Avenue and West Washington Street, starting at 6:30 p.m., sporting kaffiyehs, Palestinian flags and handmade signs. Chants of \u201cFree, free Palestine\u201d filled the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n

UCF YDSA Secretary Ken Pham said it is important for UCF students to rally against the Israeli occupation because of UCF\u2019s involvement with weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin<\/a> and L3Harris.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe play a big role in that,\u201d Pham said. \u201cWe kind of power all of their labor within their systems, so I think it\u2019s important for us to show solidarity for the people that we are making bombs to drop on.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Reuters<\/a>, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with nearly a third of the dead under the age of 18, since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.<\/p>\n

The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, declared<\/a> on Sept. 16 that Israel has committedgenocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n

Israel and Hamas began peace talks Monday in Egypt following President Donald Trump\u2019s proposed plan for peace<\/a> in Gaza. On Thursday, Israeli officials\u00a0approved the first part of the historic deal<\/a> to end the war, including the release of the remaining hostages from the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and a ceasefire in Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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\"UCF<\/p>\n

A protester holds up a sign handed to him by two people driving down North Hughey Avenue past the “International Day of Resistance” protest in downtown Orlando Tuesday.<\/p>\n

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A protester wraps themselves in the Palestinian flag while chanting and holding up a sign at the “International Day of Resistance” protest in downtown Orlando Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Protesters gathered in downtown Orlando Tuesday for the “International Day of Resistance” protest to demand divestment from Israel after two years of the country’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n

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Senior information technology major and UCF SDS member Chris Gibson waves a Palestinian flag at the “International Day of Resistance” protest outside the U.S. Middle District Court in downtown Orlando Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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A protester waves a “Free Palestine” flag as the crowd marches down West Washington Street in downtown Orlando Tuesday. The crowd chanted “Netanyahu what do you say, how many kids did you kill today?”<\/p>\n

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Members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization in Orlando hold up a “Victory to the Palestinian Resistance” banner at the “International Day of Resistance” protest on Tuesday in downtown Orlando.<\/p>\n

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A protester holds up a sign reading “Why is Israel Banning Baby Formula?” at the “International Day of Resistance” protest in downtown Orlando Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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UCF Students for a Democratic Society co-founder Marcus Polzer gives a speech at the “International Day of Resistance” protest outside the U.S. Middle District Court in downtown Orlando Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Congressional candidate Marialana Kinter gives a speech calling for the U.S. government to stop funding the Israeli military’s ongoing campaign in the Gaza Strip outside the U.S. Middle District Court in downtown Orlando Tuesday during the “International Day of Resistance” protest.<\/p>\n

\"UCF<\/p>\n

UCF Students for a Democratic Society member and senior information technology major Chris Gibson listens to UCF SDS co-founder Marcus Polzer’s speech at the “International Day of Resistance” protest in downtown Orlando Tuesday with the American flag and Palestinian flags in the background.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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A protester holds up a sign reading “No One is Illegal on Stolen Land” at the “International Day of Resistance” protest in downtown Orlando Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Sophomore studio art major and UCF Students for a Democratic Society and Freedom Road Socialist Organization Orlando member Grisha Glozman turns to a pro-Israel counter protester mid-speech at the “International Day of Resistance protest in downtown Orlando Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

UCF SDS co-founder Marcus Polzer said prior to the recent approval that their position on the peace talks aligns with that of the Palestinian resistance: anti-disarmament of Palestinians and opposition to Isreali troops remaining in Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c[The disarmament] just seems like a way to not defend themselves,\u201d Polzer said. \u201cBut also, this initial agreement, like the Netanyahu government, also went against one major point, which is full Israeli withdrawal. They still want to keep Israeli troops there, which, if it’s a true ceasefire, what’s the need for the troops?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pham said he believes it could be a step in the right direction, however, it will still put Palestinians in harm’s way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce Palestine drops their weapons, there’s no telling what can happen to them,\u201d Pham said.<\/p>\n

Polzer and Pham spoke on behalf of their organizations, along with other organization representatives. Marialana Kinter, a U.S. House of Representatives candidate<\/a> for Florida\u2019s 7th district and a veteran, also spoke at the protest \u2014 calling out the government shutdown over budget disputes on healthcare spending for Americans, despite historically approving funding for the Israeli military.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is wrong and it needs to end now, no ifs, ands or buts,\u201d Kinter said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Grisha Glozman, a sophomore studio art major and member of both FRSO and UCF SDS, said it was inspiring to see the pro-Palestine movement well and alive in Orlando.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve had people who came to today’s event and said that they wanted to join an organization because of this, which warms my heart because that means another person getting organized is another step forward into the future,\u201d Glozman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Glozman, who is Jewish, said that teachings from the Torah have greatly influenced his pro-Palestine stance, especially regarding pacifism and anti-violence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s\u00a0half a million people just now in the last two years, let alone since 1948, and we’re commanded in the Torah to sanctify the Land of Israel, to care for the land and Israel does the opposite,\u201d Glozman said. \u201cThey bulldoze homes, they pollute the waters, they burn the trees, they completely destroy the land, they make it unfarmable for Palestinians just out of spite. That has nothing to do with Judaism.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chris Gibson, a senior information technology major and SDS member, attended the protest despite his arrest and now-dropped felony charges<\/a> for allegedly battering a security officer at last year\u2019s protest. Gibson said after a full year, it feels good to be involved in a demonstration bigger than last year’s.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels good to understand that the work you’re doing really is having an impact on at least the people around you, if not the world,\u201d Gibson said. \u201cSo that really gives me the strength and the energy to keep on going. I feel like I’ve made the right decision to continue organizing. I feel like I’m doing what is best with my life; I feel like I’m doing good for the world.”<\/p>\n