Protesters gathered at the Egyptian Consulate Saturday afternoon in a demonstration condemning the Egyptian government’s role in enabling the genocide in Gaza. Chanting “Stop starving Gaza now” and “Open the Rafah crossing,” demonstrators held signs displaying stark images of victims and slogans such as “End the siege in Gaza.”
The protest, which was organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), united activists from diverse backgrounds and community members across Los Angeles who support ending the Zionist occupation of Palestine and stopping the genocide in Gaza.
“We are here at the Egyptian Consulate to demand that the Egyptian government stop normalizing its relationship with Israel and to allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip,” said Tharwa Khalid, an organizer with the PYM.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has repeatedly denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling it “an injustice that we cannot take part in,” but his actions speak louder than words. On August 7th, Israel’s Leviathan signed a $35 billion natural gas supply deal with Egypt.
Annually, Egypt exports around $347 million to Israel, while Israel's exports to Egypt are approximately $2.3 billion, according to The Observatory of Economic Complexity. Additionally, Israel’s trade with Egypt increased by 56 percent in 2023 and rose by 168 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter, according to the Abraham Accords Peace Institute report.
In recent weeks, protests have erupted outside Egyptian embassies and consulates worldwide. “We have to highlight Egypt’s role in the Gaza genocide. They have the power to stop the siege and allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip,” said Khalid.
Under the afternoon sun, protesters headed to the streets, took over Wilshire Blvd, and marched toward The Grove, one of L.A.’s popular outdoor malls where thousands of people shop during the weekend. Before heading out, organizers had to defuse a few pro-Israel counter-protesters who were trying to start a fight. Organizers quickly handled the situation, allowing the protest to proceed without anyone getting hurt.
As the march moved toward the outdoor mall, heading north on Fairfax, seven Los Angeles Police Department vehicles followed behind with their sirens blaring, trying to disrupt the chants and cause confusion.
“This is psychotic. They are not only messing with people exercising their First Amendment right to protest, but the community at large that lives here,” said a protester who wanted to remain anonymous for safety reasons.
Security guards at The Grove attempted to stop the march from passing through and physically threw one of the protesters to the ground.
Despite the LAPD’s harassment, people emerged from their apartments and joined the chants, showing solidarity with the marchers. Additionally, cars driving by honked and waved their keffiyehs, yelling “free Palestine,” in a wave of emotion and love for the movement that has been in the streets for 21 months, demanding that Israel, with the full support of the U.S., stop killing people and allow humanitarian aid into the enclave.
Protesters chanted, “While you are shopping, bombs are dropping.”
The march concluded peacefully back at the Egyptian Consulate around 5 PM. The organizers announced that they will continue to pressure the Egyptian government and local politicians for their involvement in the Gaza genocide. For many, the moment marked not only a cry for justice in Palestine, but a broader challenge to global powers who enable atrocities while claiming moral high ground in words. For PYM and others, the protest was both an act of mourning and a declaration of resistance.
