Syracuse activists mark second anniversary of October 7

Palestinian-American and Syracuse local, Fahed Saada, attended his first vigil for Gaza Tuesday night, at the corner of Erie Blvd. and Genesee St.

Waving a Palestine flag, Saada circled attendees who lit candles, shared prayers, and wrote notes to deceased Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and those who remain in the hub of war, two years since the initial Hamas attacks at a music festival in Israel.

Saada showcased his unwavering pride as a Palestinian, wearing a green sweatshirt with Palestine written across his chest and a black-and-white Keffiyeh, a traditional Middle Eastern scarf that represents Palestinian identity, draped across his shoulders. 

“People are afraid to come out and voice their opinions. It’s just the least we can do. I wear this proudly because that’s where I’m from, that’s where my family’s from,” he said. 

“I am proud to be a Palestinian American, and that’s what makes America so great, right?” 

Local pro-liberation organizations hosted a Sumud Vigil for Gaza from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday to recognize “the two-year anniversary of the current genocide in Palestine,” according to a promotional flyer posted on the event organizers’ Instagram pages. 

This vigil was a collaboration between several organizations, including Syracuse Peace Council, Syracuse Democratic Socialists of America and Syracuse 4 Palestine and Global Liberation. About 50 attended, including Syracuse locals, Syracuse and ESF students. 

SUNY ESF graduate student Ellie Jalbuena-Cook said that although she feels heavy due to the anniversary’s subject matter, community events like these give her hope and inspire her to “take more practical action.” 

“It is a light in the darkness, demonstrating that it’s very bleak, but truly not all hope is lost,” Jalbuena-Cook said. “These groups are fighting for what’s right.”

She looked toward the plot of greenery facing Erie Blvd., where two tables, draped in faux blood-stained cloths, held candles and string lights assembled in rings and a sense of grief far heavier. 

“The bleaker the night, the more the light that does exist shines through. I feel a drive to acknowledge that it should be a raging inferno,” Jalbuena-Cook said

Spike, lead organizer of the event and member of Syracuse 4 Palestine and Syracuse DSA, remarked on hosting the event to encourage community members to come together in a somber, safe space. 

“We couldn’t let the anniversary go by without doing something,” Spike said. “Each light represents hundreds, if not thousands, of lives that have been stolen in the past two years, and this seemed like a wholly inadequate, but the best way we had to represent that notion.”

In the hope of having future community gatherings, Spike said respecting the boundaries of fellow activists is vital for showing Palestinian support.

“We can better create a space for people to feel safe and welcome, where we are still making the point and calling attention to the genocide without putting people in harm’s way,” Spike said. 

Spike instructed the crowd at the beginning of the event that all photos taken by media or attendees should be cautious not to capture faces to protect the identities of Palestinian activists. 

Spike noted that the vigil was a success, with frequent honking and cheering from cars turning from Route 5. 

In recognition of the community support cultivated, Jalbuena-Cook offered a message of hope. 

“Events like these enable social possibility of turning that despair into action rather than passivity,” Jalbuena-Cook said.