The 23ed of December was the next to last day of “Christmas shopping while bombs are dropping. On that day in Tampa, another march for Gaza set forth from Lykes Gaslight Park. As the march built up, one of the speakers reminded everyone that the Houthis in Yemen are setting an example of solidarity done right for the whole world. The Houthis have powerful antiship ballistic missiles-and have vowed to stop any ship going to Israel via the Red Sea unless aid reaches Gaza FIRST. The crowd roared with approval, and it was time to set out.

After marching to the Christmas celebrations at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the march made what was essentially a feint towards taking over the Kennedy Street Bridge again. Without the larger numbers and the defensive line of vehicles from Dec 11, this march was not powerful enough to take over the bridge and block it, so marchers went onto the bridge sidewalk and rallied a bit before reversing back out.

As marchers proceeded back to Lykes Gaslight Park, passing motorists cheered the marchers.

Returning to the bridge sent a message to Tampa’s Israeli trained cops that the police harassment and threats from Dec 11 would not deter anything. After all, marchers are not being shot or blown up, then denied medical care like in Gaza, and if people in Gaza can fight under those conditions we can fight here under much lesser threats.