Protesters hold signs and a Palestinian flag at the Veterans Memorial Park in Houghton during a weekly protest in June. Mary Christine Stevens/for the Mining Gazette

The Keweenaw Friends of Palestine has invited the Keweenaw community to join a candlelight vigil in honor of those who have died in the conflict in Gaza.

The vigil will be held at 9:30 p.m. tonight at Houghton’s Huron Street Waterfront Park. The event will feature poetry and speeches from local writers, organizers and community members. 

“This vigil comes after the loss of nearly 38,000 Palestinian lives,” a press release from the group states. “The Keweenaw Friends of Palestine was founded by local organizers this year in response to Israel’s reignited aggression and the United States’ complicity in the ongoing genocide. With U.S. funding and in line with U.S. interests in the region, Israel’s military has conducted a nine-month series of airstrikes.” 

The group mentions how much of their work is focused on weekly rallies for Palestine and adding signatures to a petition calling for local and state officials to adopt resolutions in support of a ceasefire. They explain that the vigil will place a “renewed emphasis” on the situation in Palestine. 

“We want this to be a space of communal healing for those in our area who may feel alienated by the US government’s active role in aiding and abetting the genocide,” says local organizer Gabriel Ahrendt. “We hope it can be an insightful event where speakers and writers can express their emotions and experiences related to the conflict in a constructive and empathetic light.” 

Keweenaw Friends of Palestine holds rallies for Palestine every Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Houghton.

To learn more about Keweenaw Friends of Palestine and to receive updates and educational materials, find the group on Facebook and Instagram. To join their mailing list, email keweenawfriendsofpalestine@lists.riseup.net.