About a dozen demonstrators gathered in front of St. Petersburg City Hall yesterday to mark one year since active duty U.S. Airman Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC.
“Free free Palestine.”
Bushnell shouted these words in the last moments before he passed away. Laura Rodriguez is with the Tampa Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression. She was arrested as part of the Tampa Five in 2023.
She said acts of protest have not been accepted by those in power.
“Students protesting at the University of South Florida, having a sit-in or doing a hunger hunger strike, Victoria Hinckley was expelled, Joseph Charry was deported, and to Aaron Bushnell, who Self-immolated, no form of protest is valid under the US.”
Rodriguez had her charges related to the protests at USF dropped at the time she was protesting about Florida laws that limited African American studies and diversity issues in schools.
She said that several issues have mobilized different organizations in solidarity with groups like the Uhuru Solidarity Movement, American Indian Movement Central Florida, and the Green Party of Florida, showing support for Tuesday’s action.
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