[dropcap size=big]O[/dropcap]n Saturday, thousands of people gathered at the federal building in Westwood at noon to march towards the Israeli consulate in support of Palestine, marking one of the largest pro-Palestine marches in recent Los Angeles history on the 73rd anniversary of "al-Nakba"—“the catastrophe”—a day when nearly 80 percent of Palestinians were driven out of their homeland and into refugee camps.
Arriving at the protest was not easy. Despite reportedly securing a permit to march from the federal building to the Israeli consulate on Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles Sheriffs barricaded the intersection of Wilshire Blvd and Veteran Street and California Highway Patrol closed off freeway exits, making it hard for the community to get to the protest or find parking. Despite the difficulties, thousands still arrived—a display of determination and solidarity with the Palestinian struggle that was echoed all over the world this weekend.