Over 125 students and community members gathered on Saturday in downtown Austin in a protest organized by Shut Down IAC, a campaign led by UT student organization Palestine Solidarity Committee in conjunction with other pro-Palestine groups from across the state. Protesters demanded the shutdown of the Israeli-American Council National Summit, which was held this year to celebrate “Israel’s 75th birthday.” This references the 75th anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence, according to a statement on the IAC website.

According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, there are over 5.9 million Palestinian refugees today who have “lost both home and means of livelihood” due to Israeli occupation. Conditions faced by Palestinians under Israeli occupation are currently described by NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International as apartheid.

This photostory accompanies a story originally published on Jan 23, 2023.

Gallery • 15 Photos

Julius Shieh

Protestors wave Palestinian flags and hang banners from the 11th St. bridge overlooking I-35 on Jan. 20, one day before the protest against the IAC Summit.