Palestine Protest at Tournament of Roses

Ndindi Kitonga

Summary: Participant’s account of resistance and repression — Editors

I’m proud to have helped organize the action and marched with my undocumented and Palestinian comrades in the Rose Parade on January 1.

Eight of us were arrested under a new Pasadena ordinance against “interfering in special events” which was enacted on the first day of 2025. This was not our plan but the sheriffs overreacted…..they didn’t even know what to charge us with.

We were booked, and given citations and a court date. We have a legal and jail support team and expect no charges.

You can view some of the content here https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEc29dkvTBM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==.

This is part of our statement:

On the morning of January 1, 2025, roughly 40 Los Angeles-based pro-Palestine activists gathered in Pasadena, ready to utilize the nationally televised Tournament of Roses Parade to amplify the message of “Money For Healthcare Not For Warfare, Arms Embargo Now!”


Participants entered the parade with a banner, signs, keffiyehs, and symbolic flower crowns and walked for about a mile, receiving a lot of support and positive feedback from the crowd, before being physically removed by LA Sheriffs in riot gear without warning. Eight people were detained and cited under Pasadena’s new ordinance against “interrupting a public event.” But this will not stop us.

People of conscience in Los Angeles stand against the genocide, against the occupying forces, against land theft and colonization, against bombing civilians and public infrastructure, against illegal settlements in Palestine, and against injustice everywhere!

Why the Rose Parade? The Rose Parade is a joyful annual tradition to celebrate the New Year. It is nationally televised and is consistently the most-watched program coast to coast on New Year’s Day. Since 1890, families and friends both local and from afar have gathered in Pasadena on New Year’s Day to experience community, enjoy the floral-themed floats, and bring in the new year. Countless families in Gaza cannot partake in such activities, and in fact will not be alive to welcome the New Year. Instead of rejoicing with their families and friends, they will experience widespread death, hunger, and terror. The Rose Parade was founded in part on the idea that “even in the midst of winter, the flowers are blooming” in Southern California. It is our firm belief that Palestine can rise and thrive again despite this season of darkness, not unlike a flower that blooms in the winter.

At least 40 mainstream news sources picked up the story including NPR, MSN, The LAist, and The OC register, among other International sites.

 

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