The event was in support of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. The outcome of the movement's goals would result in Israel's destruction. Within hours of the October 7, 2023, terror attacks, the BDS movement renewed its call for an anti-Israel boycott.

For years before the 2023-2025 war, pro-terror activists routinely accused Israel of "genocide." On October 8, 2023, they continued using this "blood libel" to try to normalize it. They redefined the term, inflated death tolls, ignored Israeli aid efforts and dismissed Hamas war crimes that led to more Gazan deaths, thereby feeding more social media propaganda.

Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their own national home, and the right to develop their national culture. Zionism is a core part of the identity of most Jews.

One way anti-Israel activists spread antisemitism is to deny Jewish history and religious rights in the Land of Israel in order to portray Jews as foreign to the land. They do this to delegitimize restored Jewish sovereignty and terms they use include accusing Israel of "colonialism" and "imperialism."