Sonja Devries

On February 2, 2024, 15 demonstrators were reportedly arrested and "charged with trespassing" at an anti-Israel protest in Louisville, Kentucky. The event was in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

The protest took place outside of the Louisville locations for RTX and BAE Systems. Both manufacture arms for the U.S. military. An estimated 70 protesters surrounded the businesses, blocking roads and entrances to the industrial complex where both companies have facilities.

Participants protested Israel’s war against the Hamas terror organization, accusing the U.S. of complicity in “war crimes” and demanding a ceasefire. WHAS11.com reported that among the anti-Israel chants were [00:00:05]: “Let Gaza Live! Stop the occupation!” and [00:00:09] “Free Palestine!,” a chant that has been described as a "battle cry for the death of Jews.” In 2025, there were at least two anti-Israel attacks in the U.S. where assailants murdered others while shouting "Free Palestine!"

WLKY.com reported that attendees at the Louisville event also held signs that read: “B.A.E. and RTX: WAR CRIMES PROFITEERS,“ “STOP ARMING ISRAEL,” and [00:00:20]: “Genocide manufactured here.”

The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) issued several dispersal warnings to the protesters. WLKY.com reported that the 15 who refused to leave were arrested and "charged with trespass upon key infrastructure, a class B misdemeanor."

The Louisville Ceasefire Coalition (LCC) helped organize the event. Their Instagram post promoting the event said: “The resistance never rests.”

Among Palestinians and anti-Israel activists, the term “resistance” is a euphemism for nationalistic terror and is used to glorify and encourage anti-Israel and antisemitic violence.

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement was founded by pro-terror activist Omar Barghouti in 2005 to turn “Israel into a pariah state, as South Africa once was.” Barghouti has also called for Israel's destruction and the BDS movement demands would result in that same goal.

BDS initiatives include calling on institutions and individuals to divest from Israeli-affiliated companies, promoting academic and cultural boycotts of Israel, and organizing anti-Israel rallies, protests and campaigns.

The movement’s most notable achievement has been infiltrating university campuses through lobbying for “BDS resolutions.” In these cases, student governments propose resolutions to boycott or divestment from Israel or Israeli-affiliated entities. BDS activity is often aggressive and disruptive. It has been noted that universities that pass BDS resolutions see a marked increase in anti-Semitic incidents and pro-terror activism on campus.