Slogan: Free Palestine

The slogan “Free Palestine” has long been used at rallies, in chants, on placards, online and graffitied by those advocating on behalf of Palestinian rights. Since October 7th, the slogan has been regularly used by anti-Israel activists and organizations on college campuses and elsewhere, and in numerous instances, it has been directed maliciously at Jews and others. 

In many ways, the term is similar to slogans advocating for other political causes, including “Free Tibet” and “Save the Amazon,” and in most cases, people using the slogan do not intend it to be in support of extremist or violent actions. Indeed, some might use the slogan to call for the creation of a Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel.  

However, some have used the term to intimidate and attack Jews and Jewish institutions and to justify violence committed against Jews globally. The alleged gunman who killed two people exiting a Jewish event at the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, in May 2025 shouted the term during the attack (and signed his alleged manifesto with it as well), as reportedly did the attacker who, in June 2025, firebombed the Boulder, CO, Run for Their Lives rally for the hostages being held in Gaza. There have also been many cases of synagogues, Hillels and other Jewish institutions in the US and around the world being graffitied with the slogan, which is an antisemitic act.