For nearly the past 10 months, Palestine has dominated the headlines and the news cycle. Unfortunately, many still remain misinformed and lacking basic understanding of the genocide currently taking place.

Many are still woefully unaware that Israel only exists due to an illegal declaration, not by the Palestinian people, but by the UK in what is known as the Balfour Declaration, which stole land from Palestine and gifted it to European jews. Without diving into books-worth of information, the basic run-down of what has happened since is this: Israel has continued to murder Palestinian people and steal their land via illegal settlements and occupations. 

Not only has Israel continued to steal and kill, they have done so with the blessing of Western nations such as the United States and Germany. Not because what Israel is doing is right or moral or necessary. Instead, because it is profitable to our arms manufacturers who supply bombs and ammunition, to our oil companies who are already receiving permits to drill in land Israel is currently bombing tent-cities full of refugees in, to our real estate companies that are already selling off “beachfront property” still covered with the corpses of murdered Palestinian children. 

As is so often the case in war crimes and genocide, money and greed are the root cause of all of the suffering. One can hardly scroll Instagram or TikTok without seeing another horrific injury or maiming or death. And all because it enriches a select few. Those select few turn around and lobby our nation’s politicians to continue the bloodshed and it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle of violence against the innocent.

We stand against Israel and against the US imperial war machine. Instead, we stand on the side of the oppressed. Just as we at Academic Grappling spend our energy doing mutual aid for our unhoused neighbors, organizing for our trans homies, standing against police violence and supporting black lives, we will also stand and fight for our homies in Palestine.

In order to make any sort of difference, one must disrupt the status quo. Any protest that ends with everyone going home without police attempting to intervene, has minimal risk, or takes place in a “free speech zone” is ineffective and a waste of energy that could be better used towards more effective methods. We decided to sponsor and organize an action that would truly disrupt and draw attention:

We blocked I-465.

Now, we have all seen videos of people risking life and limb to put just their bodies in the middle of streets, highways, and interstates. However, being in Indiana, such a thing felt like an unacceptable risk. Instead, we gathered together early in the morning, decorated our cars with the Palestine flag, and took off. We occupied every lane of traffic on the west-bound southside of I-465 and drove exactly the speed limit. For those who are unfamiliar, the speed limit on I-465 is 55 mph, though few people drive under 70 mph. Within a matter of seconds, we had backed up traffic significantly.

Within 20 minutes, police had pulled us over, despite breaking no laws. We were written conflicting citations (somehow for speeding and driving too slow) and dismissed.

While the action was successful in that we achieved our goals of creating traffic, causing disruption, and raising awareness for a cause, we also recognize there were things that could have gone better had we been able to show up with a greater force of individuals driving their vehicles. However, we did everything we were capable of, and we won’t downplay where we saw success. 

Until Palestine is free, be on the lookout for us to continue to find ways to escalate and disrupt for our oppressed brothers and sisters on the other side of the globe. Meanwhile, we will also be continuing our mutual aid efforts here in our own city. Our gym will always stand on the side of liberation. Not just in words, but in our actions too. Don’t just talk about it, be about it. We are sleeping and inactive no more.

“You were sick, but now you’re well again, and there’s work to do.” - Kurt Vonnegut