UT students, community members protest Israeli-American Council Summit on The Daily Texan

Facing the entrance to the Fairmont Hotel, over 125 students and community members gathered on Saturday in downtown Austin to demand the shutdown of the Israeli-American Council  National Summit. The annual IAC Summit was held this year to celebrate “Israel’s 75th birthday”… Protesters gathered on 2nd St. at Sir Swante Neighborhood Park, chanting and holding signs which read “Free Palestine” and “#ShutDownIAC.” The protest was 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.

Organizers from Shut Down IAC also said that they protested the Summit because it normalized Israeli occupation and falsely presented the Israeli state as progressive and peaceful. “They cover up their war crimes through tactics known as rainbow washing in order to appeal to liberals and progressives,” said a member of PSC during a speech. “They’re rebranding a country founded upon the genocide of Palestinians as a welcoming place for all people.”