By Bawer Turan

Copyright colombiareports

Protests erupted in Colombia’s capital, Bogota, after Israel’s navy kidnapped two Colombian activists who were part of a flotilla that tried to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Almost 500 activists of the so-called Sumud Flotilla tried to break Israel’s siege of Gaza by delivering humanitarian aid via the Mediterranean reaching the shore and delivering humanitarian aid.

In response to the kidnapping, the Global Movement to Gaza Colombia invited people to protest peacefully in front of the headquarters of the National Association of Industrialists (ANDI).

The anti-genocide protestors accused the business association of maintaining ties to Israel and legitimizing trade with the apartheid state.

We invite civil society to mobilize peacefully to the offices of the ANDI throughout the country. This association maintains direct ties with the economic mission of “Israel” in Colombia and has publicly positioned itself against the end of the FTA [Free Trade Agreement] and the coal trade.
Global Movement To Gaza Colombia

In a rushed response, ANDI denied its alleged ties to Israel and rejected statements “that the Association normalizes trade with Zionism.”

Some of the protestors vandalized a police post and a local Starbucks branch, and painted slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “Genocide” on the buildings.

President Gustavo Petro praised the protests and called on people to organize a global general strike.

Bogota takes to the streets for our kidnapped Colombian women and those who dared to show human solidarity Young people from all over the world should call us to the global general strike.
Gustavo Petro

More protests were announced today to demand the release of the participants of the flotilla and the end of Israel’s genocide.

Protests in solidarity with the Palestinian people have been relatively mild in Colombia, where the government has led the charge against the apartheid regime of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.