Brazilian Cities Hold Mass Pro-Palestinian Rallies Demanding Gaza Cease-Fire on 15 June

Thousands of demonstrators marched in several Brazilian cities on Sunday, 15 June, to protest Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip. Rallies were held in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro—where activists gathered beneath the Christ the Redeemer statue—and other urban centers as part of a coordinated international day of action. Participants waved Palestinian flags, chanted slogans demanding an immediate cease-fire and denounced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Some groups urged President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration to move beyond public criticism of Israel and suspend bilateral trade, echoing calls made in protests abroad. Israel’s offensive in Gaza began in 2023 and has left thousands dead and wounded, according to local health authorities and the United Nations. Sunday’s demonstrations add to mounting global pressure for a negotiated halt to the fighting and increased humanitarian access to the besieged enclave.