BOISE, Idaho — On Friday, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered to hold a rally and march in downtown Boise, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. As of 11 p.m., around a dozen protesters were still protesting near the capitol.
The rally started at 6:30 p.m. at the Anne Frank Memorial. Protesters chanted and held signs reading "Stop the genocide."
Pro-Israel counter-protesters also showed up to the memorial, and one protester told KTVB the decision to have the rally there was disrespectful to the Jewish community.
"Using the site is the biggest travesty … it's unimaginable for me," an Israeli protester stated. "Hamas is the perpetrator here of injustice. They been the one that perpetrated the genocide. Israel is trying to defend itself is right. It's trying to show the world ... we are not defenseless anymore."
Pro-Palestinian protesters told KTVB the reason they held the rally at the memorial is because they believe Anne Frank was a victim of genocide.
"That's what we are trying to do is bringing awareness about Palestine and calling for an end of the genocide," a pro-Palestine protester said. "All of us are affected ... it's not just policies. And our government is funding the genocide completely."
After meeting at the memorial, the group walked through downtown Boise, making their way to the capitol. Pro-Israel protestors did not follow.
Around 7:30 p.m., protestors started pitching tents across the capitol at the park, which is city property. They quickly moved a block away onto state property after police asked them to move.
Late Friday night, protestors had placed roughly 10 tents and were singing and chanting. Some protesters yelled to police who were close by dressed in riot gear, stating, "Why are you in riot gear? We are peaceful."
Protesters said police told them they needed to disperse by 9:45 p.m., but as of 11 p.m., around a dozen of them were still there. Someone with Boise to Palestine said it is the first Pro-Palestine protest in Boise where people pitched tents.
More than 34,000 Palestinians have died in the war — mainly women and children. Eighty percent of the population in Gaza have been displaced.
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