Palestinian Heritage Parade Marches Down Columbus Drive For First Time
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago's Irish march up Columbus Drive. So do the area's Poles, Puerto Ricans and those from a number of other ethnic groups. Now, you can add Palestinians to that list.
The Palestinian Heritage Parade, a fixture in southwest suburban Bridgeview, was transplanted to Columbus Drive, between Roosevelt and Monroe, for the first time Saturday.
It quickly became an "everyone marches, no one watches" affair, although event organizer Deanna Othman said it was not intended that way. People pushing baby strollers joined with men in coats and ties and teens in T-shirts and hoodies.
Othman said that in previous Bridgeview parades, approximately 2,000 people have marched and said organizers at the group American Muslims for Palestine (AMP-Chicago) were not sure what to expect, but said it appeared they met that goal.
A banner at the front of the parade bore the slogan "We shall return." A theme of the parade was the displacement of Palestinians 67 years ago at the formation of Israel.
"Palestinians have a deep cultural and religious history that many try to deny, and our aim is to both celebrate this and show the world that our legacy is timeless, said AMP-Chicago chairwoman Nida Ali.
Because of the late date at which the city granted its parade permit, Othman said there will be no sister parade in Bridgeview this year. But she said plans are already being made to march both in Bridgeview and on Columbus Drive next year and beyond.
