Colorado cyclists ride to raise money for the people of Gaza

This weekend the demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as well as demanding equal rights and self-determination for the Palestinian people looked a little different.

Groups like Native Women Ride, Black Girls Do Bike Denver, Denver Boulder Jewish Voice for Peace and many others came together to ride for the people of Gaza.

"Native Women ride chose this day, Jan. 6, to stand for the complete opposite of what happened on this day three years ago," said Melissa Otterbein one of the event organizers.

It wasn't just a show of solidarity. They were also raising money for the Gaza Sunbirds, a cycling group in Gaza.

"The Gaza Sunbirds is a para-cycling team founded by Alaa Al-Dali. Alaa was an Olympic hopeful cyclist whose leg was shot to pieces by an Israeli sniper," said Otterbein.

The Sunbirds have turned their focus from training for the Olympics and para-Olympics to saving lives by providing food and water to Gazans.

"Sport can create hope where there was once only despair," said Otterbein.

The groups made sure their ride was peaceful by not interacting with hecklers and supporting one another along the way. Because they say lifting each other up is what athletes do for each other, they think we should do the same for the people of Gaza.

"From Congo to Sudan to Palestine please remember that our liberation is bound up with theirs and that none of us are truly free until they are," said Stephanie the founder of the Denver Chapter of Black Girls Do Bike.