In this episode, we return to an interview from a few weeks ago with our wonderful friend and comrade Sam Woripa Watson about their decision to join the Global Sumud Flotilla. Sam is are a Birri Gubba and Wangeriburra activist and film-maker who grew up in the Brisbane Black movement here in Magan-djin. Sam is an active organiser and agitator for Indigenous justice and land back (both here in so-called australia, and across the globe). For over a decade, Sam has been a crucial part of Brisbane Black organising for land back and Indigenous justice, and an important part of the Justice for Palestine Magan-djin coalition. Sam also played an important role in local organising against engineering firm Ferra Engineering, who supply parts for the F-35 bombers used by the Israeli Occupation Forces against the people of Gaza.

Most recently, Sam joined hundreds of other activists, health care workers, lawyers, human rights activists, writers, film-makers, and community workers on board a flotilla of vessels that set sail from Italy, aiming to deliver both much-needed humanitarian aid and global media attention to the people of Gaza.

When Sam recorded their responses to my questions for this interview, they were in Italy waiting to embark on the flotilla mission. In the weeks since this interview first aired, Sam's vessel was intercepted by the Israeli Occupation Forces and Sam and his comrades were taken hostage by the Israeli government. They suffered significant abuse at the hands of the Israeli government, including physical and psychological torture, sexual assault and withholding of food, water, sleep, and adequate shelter. Sam was released after almost 4 days in custody, and spoke to Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist and writer Amy McQuire for Black Justice Journalism about that experience. You can read the full account here: https://www.blackwitness.com/p/this-is-the-most-violent-experience

In this episode of the podcast, I take us back to Sam's initial optimism and excitement about participating in the flotilla. We reflect on the role of these kinds of movements and why they are important in continuing to escalate the global movement for Palestinian liberation. In the second part of this podcast I also share a short interview I recorded with Subhi Awad, one of the spokespeople for the Global Sumud Flotilla here in so-called australia. I spoke to Subhi after we heard the news that Sam's vessel had been intercepted by the IOF and that he had been taken into detention.

Over the coming weeks we'll continue sharing updates from Sam and his comrades as they return home, so keep your ears open for more on this story!