Based on a news release from the Bronx Anti-War Coalition.
In New York City in conjunction with the historic funeral in Beirut, where 1.5 million people participated, a vigil was held Feb. 23 to honor the revolutionary Hezbollah martyrs Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine.
Washington Square Park, New York City. Feb. 23, 2025. Honor the martyrs of Hezbollah.
Alongside photographs of the martyred resistance leaders Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Qassem Soleimani, our gathering affirmed that millions around the world are mourning and celebrating leaders whose legacies have ignited Indigenous resistance in Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Syria and beyond.
At the Beirut funeral, in a calculated attempt to undermine the gathering, [Israeli] Zionist warplanes flew at dangerously low altitudes directly over the attendees. This act of intimidation was designed to instill fear in those mourning at the funeral. Similarly, here in New York City — at the very heart of the empire — Zionist thugs, including those holding political office, attempted to silence our solidarity with the Resistance through threats and intimidation.
Yet, as one organizer declared: “Their threats did nothing to weaken our resolve. We stand here unafraid. Repression does not silence us — it only breeds more resistance and fuels our determination to honor our martyrs.”
The Indigenous peoples of the world continue to rise up, uniting against Zionist repression and imperial domination. Our stand in New York City not only reflects a steadfast commitment to remembering our late martyrs but also reinforces that no act of repression — whether in Beirut or the heart of the empire — can extinguish the flame of revolutionary struggle.
In the spirit of resistance, we joined millions worldwide — whether gathering in Beirut, Kargil, Ramallah or in neighborhoods here in NYC — demonstrating that the struggle against imperialism and colonialism transcends borders and sectarian divisions. Our collective mobilization in the streets is proof that attempts at intimidation only forge stronger bonds among the oppressed, fueling our determination to dismantle Zionist colonialism and imperial terrorism.
Long live resistance.
Glory to the martyrs.