10,000 US Arrests Demand CEASEFIRE NOW!
A Day-by-day Record of Nonviolent Dissent
Felice and Jack Cohen-Joppa / The Nuclear Resister

(November 19, 2024) — (This chronicle of resistance was originally published in issues #202, #203/204 and #205 of The Nuclear Resister newsletter. This online version includes available updates and corrections, and was last updated on November 19, 2024.)

Since October of 2023, thousands of protests and direct actions around the world have called for a ceasefire and end to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. In this day-by-day record of dissent, the Nuclear Resister has chronicled more than 10,000 arrests (and counting) in the US and Canada on over 425 occasions across more than 140 cities and towns in 37 states and 5 provinces.

More than one-third of those have occurred on the campus of at least 70 colleges and universities. It marks the largest surge of anti-war arrests since mid-April, 2003, when the Nuclear Resister reported over 7,500 anti-war arrests in the US alone in the lead-up to and first weeks of the second US invasion of Iraq.

By “arrested,” we mean when a person is detained by police for any length of time and is not free to go or to continue the activity they were engaged in before police intervened. Whether charges are then filed is another issue, and whether prosecution proceeds after that, yet another. As far as we know, and unless otherwise noted, within 24-48 hours everyone arrested was released on bail or with a promise to appear. Many charges may have since been dropped. Several activists have received up to two months in jail.

The resistance actions that resulted in arrest span a wide array of tactics, some long under debate within the broader peace movement and among advocates of direct action. With the aim of encouraging prisoner support, we endorse tolerance and constructive criticism of diverse, conscientious action. A principle of any prisoner support work is to address the needs of the person behind bars, regardless of how they got there.

Tens of thousands of Londoners march to demand a ceasefire.

We know that despite our best efforts, we have undoubtedly missed related arrests that should be included here. If you are aware of arrests related to ceasefire/anti-war protest not noted in this post, please send us the information. Please also send legal updates and let us know of any substantial errors that should be corrected.

Finally, if you or someone you know about is jailed for anti-war actions, please let us know as soon as possible so that the news can be included here on the Nuclear Resister website and in the next issue of the newsletter.

2023
October 11     Boca Raton, FL     3 arrests
About 100 people marched at Florida American University in support of Palestine. Counter-protesters confronted the march as it moved through a breezeway on campus, leading to altercations and the arrest of one student and two others on charges of resisting arrest, battery and disorderly conduct.

[The online list beginning above records hundreds of anti-war protests and arrests that have occurred subsequently over the past years — EAW]