Pro-Palestinian protest takes to Magnificent Mile amid Black Friday shopping
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A four-day pause in fighting in the war between Israel and Hamas took effect Friday morning - but the protests and demonstrations continued in Chicago.
As CBS 2's Noel Brennan reported, Black Friday shoppers on Michigan Avenue found themselves caught in the middle of march in support of Palestine Friday.
"This is the Magnificent Mile. This is Michigan Avenue. It's one of the most storied business districts in the entire world," said Hatem Abudayyeh, national chair of the United States Palestinian Community Network, "and we're here today to say, 'No business as usual.'"
The momentary disruption along the Mag Mile came during a brief break in the war between Israel and Hamas, which hasn't let up since Oct. 7.
"We must maintain momentum as this fragile pause takes shape in the next few days," one woman said into a microphone during the protest.
On Friday, Hamas released 24 hostages in exchange for the freedom of 39 Palestinian prisoners. It is part of a deal brokered this week that calls for Hamas to release 50 hostages, and for Israel to free 150 Palestinians from prison.
"This temporary ceasefire is because of the people in the streets - the thousands in Chicago, the millions across the United States, the maybe tens of millions across the world," Abudayyeh said.
Organizers of the march in Chicago are hopeful a temporary pause in fighting leads to something more permanent.
Organizers say this is the 11th time in the past 48 days they've mobilized people in support of Palestine – and it won't be the last.
