CHAMPAIGN — Activists rallied outside Champaign City Hall Tuesday night to demand local officials support a ceasefire in Gaza.
Multiple groups have been pushing for the city of Champaign for a year now to pass a ceasefire resolution and divest from the state of Israel.
Over 30 community members attended Tuesday’s Champaign City Council meeting to speak during public comment and make their concerns heard.
“I am now operating from a baseline of dysregulation, as I watch Palestinians charged with felonies for participating in American democracy, as I watch Palestinians get snatched off the street in front of their homes,” said Dua Aldasouqi, a member of CU Muslim Action Committee and a local Palestinian.
Sana Saboowala, a member of CUMAC, once again submitted a petition calling for “action against genocide.” The petition received signatures from 2000 people and 50 different organizations.
“City council, I hope you know that your silence in the face of atrocity is part and parcel of our country’s descent into fascism,” said Saboowala.
Officials have declined to take any action on the matter, saying the issue isn’t a local one.
That’s prompted some local Arabs and Muslims to say they feel their safety is being ignored.
Addison Gray is a resident of Urbana and spoke at Tuesday’s meeting. She referred to an alleged incident when someone said “kill them all” during a meeting five months ago.
“There was a direct death threat, essentially in this room,” said Gray. “They were not also able to say, ‘we condemn death threats in our own council chambers.’ So that’s why we’re here. That’s why people are frustrated.”
Council members said sometimes their silence is protocol — but they told those attending that their voices do matter.
“We followed the protocol because you didn’t want chaos that evening,” said councilwoman Vanna Pianfetti. “You wanted safety. And we had it. We had it for you.”
Deputy Mayor and councilmember Will Kyles said there has been “dialogue” with constituents.
“I have never felt that anyone on this, on any side of the panel, but particularly — as far as council members to the left and to the right — have not believed and thought that you didn’t matter,” said Kyles.
During Tuesday night’s meeting, all Champaign City Council members were sworn in to a new term.
That includes District 3 councilmember Shauna Clayborn, a newcomer to the group who was elected in April to represent western Champaign.
Other municipalities in Illinois passed ceasefire resolutions in the months following the Oct. 7 attack — including neighboring Urbana.
“I’m not saying that it’s easy,” said Urbana’s Ward 6 city council member Grace Wilken. “I’m saying that I think addressing the concerns of residents is our job as local representatives of the people.”