SYRACUSE, NY (NCC News) — Protesters filled the streets of Syracuse’s Inner Harbor near Destiny USA mall Saturday as part of the “No Kings” demonstration, an event that drew together activists rallying against authoritarianism, war, and inequality.
Among the various groups present, one stood out in particular: Palestinian advocates from the Syracuse Peace Council, who used the platform to denounce both the Israeli military campaign in Gaza and what they say is the U.S. government’s complicity in global violence.
“It’s a terrible situation. There’s no civil right now,” protester Lee Cridland said.
The Syracuse Peace Council has long been active in supporting Palestinian liberation. On Saturday, members of its Palestine contingent made it clear that U.S. foreign policy and war funding were not abstract issues; they affect local communities in deeply personal ways.
One member from the council shared her story of a family member detained in a Virginia detention center under the Trump administration’s policies.
“His wife is just two weeks away from having their second child. So it’s that issue affects me very closely as part of my family,” Cridland said.
Another protester echoed the sentiment.
“I think we can all say that we’ve had enough,” Damon Rowe said. “And everything we see on the news, everything we see from all over the world, it feels like the least we can do is to fight back.”
“We are fighting for the end of occupation and the end of a needless genocide against the Palestinian people,” Rowe said.
While many associate the Peace Council with larger protests, the group emphasized its consistent, grassroots efforts to aid the Palestinian community.
“We’ve been out on Erie Boulevard every Friday,” Cridland said. “Educating people about Palestine, about war, about injustice. That consistency matters.”
With students among the key targets of the current administration’s policies, protesters turned their focus to international students and immigrant communities.
“We got your back,” Cridland said. “We know it’s scary. You’re far from home, and the policies of this country don’t always make it easy for you. But the Peace Council is here. We’re always willing to talk, to listen, and to integrate new voices.”
From handwritten signs to organized chants, one message rang clear: silence is no longer an option for these protesters.
“It’s never too late to join,” Rowe said. “Please. Let your voice be heard.”