Pro-Palestine, Pro-Hamas And ‘Resistance’ Groups In The United States, Canada, And Australia Plan Events Celebrating And Commemorating Third Anniversary Of October 7 Attacks, Honoring Hamas ‘Martyrs’

As the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks approaches, anti-Israel groups including pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas organizations across the United States, Canada, and Australia are mobilizing a coordinated wave of rallies, vigils, walkouts, marches, screenings, and campus actions. Although many organizers present these events as commemorations of Palestinian deaths in Gaza, the language and imagery used in their publicity often go beyond humanitarian advocacy. Many announcements frame the anniversary primarily through narratives of “genocide” and “resistance,” invoke “martyrs,” celebrate Palestinian “sacrifice,” or portray the October 7 assault as an understandable or legitimate response to Israeli policies. In some cases, promotional material explicitly features armed Hamas operatives, praises the “student intifada,” or calls for continued struggle until “liberation.”

Taken together, the planned actions demonstrate how the anniversary is being repurposed as an annual mobilizing date within an increasingly transnational activist ecosystem. Student groups, socialist collectives, healthcare networks, local solidarity organizations, and explicitly pro-Hamas channels are circulating closely aligned slogans and tactics across cities, campuses, and high schools.

The recurring emphasis on walkouts, divestment campaigns, masked participation, anti-imperialist rhetoric, and accusations of university or government “complicity” shows that these events are intended not only to memorialize casualties, but also to sustain political pressure, recruit supporters, and normalize a broader ideological narrative in which Israel, the United States, Canada, and Western institutions are cast as components of a single oppressive system.

Vigils, prayer gatherings, art displays, and moments of grief provide an accessible public-facing framework, while accompanying statements embed these activities within rhetoric that glorifies resistance, rejects Israel’s legitimacy, and presents confrontation as a continuing obligation. This combination enables militant political messaging to circulate through events that may appear, at first glance, to be solely memorial or humanitarian in nature.

The following review documents announced events surrounding October 7 in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It highlights both the geographic breadth of the mobilization and the shared terminology through which diverse organizations are reframing the attacks and their aftermath. The pattern suggests a sustained effort to transform October 7 from the anniversary of a mass-casualty terrorist assault into a symbolic day of global agitation – one used to consolidate activist networks, intensify campaigns against Israel and its supporters, and preserve the legitimacy of “resistance” within public and campus discourse.

In the United States, events are taking place in New York, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Austin, Boston, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Dearborn, Boulder, Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Grand Rapids among others. In Canada, events are scheduled to take place in Windsor, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Montreal, Calgary, and Waterloo, while in Australia, events are scheduled in Sydney, Melbourne, Geelong, Wollongong, and Adelaide.

United States

A Dearborn, Michigan-based embroiderer who routinely voices support for terror groups published on October 4 an image of a new piece she made quoting Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) member Ghassan Kanafani. Her new work was made for an upcoming October 7 event in her city. “Just finished this embroidery in preparation for my October 7 stitch-busking event in … downtown Dearborn marking three years of the genocide in Gaza.”

In an Instagram post a New York University account promoted (10/3) an upcoming walkout that will take place on October 7. “NO SCHOOL AS USUAL DURING GENOCIDE This Oct 7th marks 3 years of ongoing genocide in Palestine. The student Intifada remains steadfast in our commitment to Palestinian liberation. JOIN US ON OCT 7TH AT 12:30PM IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK for a walkout and rally.”

A City College of New York account also has an event planned for October 7, framing the event as a citywide protest and meeting at City Hall at 11 Centre St at 4pm.

A Seattle Instagram account published on September 30 a short video clip of local high schoolers being interviewed on Israel and Palestinians, announcing a walkout and demonstration.

On Instagram, a pro-Hamas account posted a story to their profile featuring a poster for an upcoming event celebrating the anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel. The poster notes that the event is due to take place on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia on Wednesday October 7 at 6pm.

A Salt Lake City-based group announced an event to take place at Washington Square Park in the city at 5:30pm, featuring a candlelight vigil.

A Grand Rapids, Michigan-based pro-Palestine group posted a flyer for an October 7 Vigil and Rally to take place at 320 Ottawa Ave NW, writing “3 Years of Genocide: Rally for Gaza. After 3 years of unrelenting bombing, forced starvation, mass displacement, and complete seige, the masses of the world demand an end to the genocide! We stand in solidarity with the steadfast people of Gaza who remain and resist despite facing a U.S. backed genocide for over 1,000 days. Join us on Wednesday October 7 at 6 pm to honor the martyrs of Gaza through mourning and prayer, and by making our demands heard: We will not be silent while our tax dollars are bankrolling war crimes, occupation, and the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. We will not be silent while the city of Grand Rapids invests millions of dollars in Israel. We demand an end to U.S. “aid” to Israel & We demand the Grand Rapids Retirement System divest from Israeli AI company, NICE”

Two Boston-based college groups announced events for October 7 including a community vigil.

A Pittsburgh-based group announced a protest event due to take place at 2pm on October 8.

Another event in Pittsburgh is planned for October 10 at 2pm on the Allegheny Landing Trail. The poster suggests participants bring masks and umbrellas.

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