Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of major cities in Brazil, including São Paulo, chanting “Israel Out of Palestinian Lands, Trump Out of Latin America” on September 7, Brazil’s Independence Day. What is usually a day of patriotic celebrations and military parades turned into a platform for international solidarity.

Protesters waved Palestinian flags to show support for the Palestinian people and condemned Israeli occupation. At the same time, they voiced strong opposition to U.S. influence in Latin America, specifically targeting President Donald Trump.

The demonstrators demanded that Brazil sever all military and economic ties with Israel and urged President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government to adopt firmer anti-Zionist positions. Their slogans reflected both domestic dissatisfaction with far-right politics and global solidarity with anti-colonial struggles.

Although police maintained a significant presence, reports described the gatherings as largely peaceful.

Brazil’s Independence Day, which commemorates the country’s 1822 liberation from Portugal, is traditionally a symbol of national unity. This year, however, it became a stage for rejecting both Israeli occupation and U.S. imperialism, while expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause.