Massive May Day Rally in Nashville Urges Ceasefire in Palestine, Calls for Institutional Divestment from Israel-supporting Businesses

May Day Rally in Nashville Calls for Palestine Ceasefire

NASHVILLE, TN — A massive gathering of pro-Palestine protesters took place in Nashville, marking the May Day Rally and March with a cry for a ceasefire on what they describe as an ethnic genocide against the Palestinian people by the Israeli government. The participation spanned several groups including Palestine Hurra Collective Nashville (PHCN), Sunrise Movement Nashville (SMN), Tennesseans for Palestine, Middle Tennessee Christians for Justice in Palestine, Nashville Educators Unite, and Vanderbilt Diversity Collective.

The Purpose of the March

An organizer and member of SMN and PHCN, Sudeep, stated that the event was designed to function as a collective grievance space for many Nashvillians who hail from or have family in Palestine. He added that it was also a show of solidarity with pro-Palestine student encampment protests taking place all over the United States, including the notable Palestine Solidarity Encampment ongoing at Vanderbilt University, which has already resulted in the eviction, suspension, and expulsion of several students, and the arrest of a Nashville Scene journalist.

The Role of Vanderbilt

Sudeep urged Vanderbilt University to correct their actions by withdrawing legal charges, revoking student sanctions, and enabling the student body to voice their views through their voting rights. The grievances against the institution started when the Vanderbilt administration removed an amendment to the Vanderbilt Student Government Constitution from the student ballot in late March. The said amendment would have blocked student government funds from reaching certain businesses supporting Israel. Sudeep called upon the communities surrounding these students to step in and provide support, describing the students’ actions as massive risks to their future livelihoods.

Moving Forward

According to Sudeep, the May Day Rally and March organizers are calling for significant institutions and government leaders to divest from businesses currently engaged in supplying Israel with materials being utilized in the conflict against Palestine. One such company is the construction firm, Caterpillar (CAT), whose D9R bulldozers, currently being supplied to the Israeli military, are being used to demolish Palestinian homes along the West Bank. Sudeep and PHCN opine that it is long due that Tennessee’s elected officials called for a ceasefire in Palestine in the view of over 30,000 fatalities and 70,000 injuries recorded to date.

The Challenges

Sudeep said one of the major hurdles in spreading their message of ceasefire has been the aggressive reaction from state governments and institutions against the protesters. This reaction included spreading misinformation by Vanderbilt’s Chancellor Daniel Diermeier that students had voluntarily exited the early days of campus encampment protests when, Sudeep claims, the students were actually threatened with arrest. He pointed to instances where institutions of power have been accused of spreading misinformation or lying outright, significantly altering the message sent to the public.

The organizer concluded by underlining that despite the events happening in the United States regarding the protests, it remains paramount to focus most of our attention on the conflict in Palestine. He stressed the need for more action from elected officials, institutions, and fellow Tennesseans.