Protesters against the Gaza war staged a sit-in at a congressional office building Tuesday ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress, with Capitol Police making multiple arrests.
Netanyahu arrived in Washington Monday for a several-day visit that includes meetings with President Joe Biden and a Wednesday speech before a joint session of Congress. Dozens of protesters rallied outside his hotel Monday evening, and on Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators took over the rotunda of the Cannon Building, which houses offices of House of Representatives members.
Organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, protesters wearing identical red T-shirts that read “Not In Our Name” took over the Rotunda of the Cannon Building, chanting “Let Gaza Live!”
After about a half-hour of clapping and chanting, officers from the U.S. Capitol Police issued several warnings, then began arresting protesters — binding their hands with zip ties and leading them away one by one.
The demonstrators focused much of their ire on the Biden administration, demanding that the president immediately cease all arms shipments to Israel.
“We’re not focusing on Netanyahu. He’s just a symptom,” Hirschmann said. “But how can (Biden) be calling for a cease-fire when he’s sending them bombs and planes?”
It wasn’t immediately clear how many protesters had been arrested.
Mitchell Rivard, chief of staff for Rep. Dan Kildee, said in a statement that his office called for Capitol Police intervention after the demonstrators “became disruptive, violently beating on the office doors, shouting loudly, and attempting to force entry into the office.”
Netanyahu’s American visit has touched off a wave of protest activity, with some demonstrations condemning Israel and others expressing support but pressuring Netanyahu to strike a cease-fire deal and bring home the hostages still being held by Hamas.
Families of some of the remaining hostages were planning a protest vigil Tuesday night on the National Mall. And multiple overlapping protests are planned for Wednesday, when Netanyahu is slated to address Congress. In anticipation, police have significantly boosted security around the Capitol building and closed multiple roads for the entire week.
Biden and Netanyahu are expected to meet Thursday, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the White House announcement. Vice President Kamala Harris will also meet with Netanyahu separately that day.
Harris, as Senate president, would normally sit behind foreign leaders addressing Congress, but she’ll be away Wednesday, on an Indianapolis trip scheduled before Biden withdrew his reelection bid and she became the likely Democratic presidential candidate over the weekend.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he would meet with Netanyahu on Friday.
(AP)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
Is this being referred to the January 6 special prosecutor? Looks a bit like an insurrection and all.
Note that many of these protests at the Capital claim to be sponsored or organized by various fringe groups which deliberately highlight some “Jewish” connection (e.g. Jewish Voice for Peace”, Jewish/Palestinian Solidarity Front, etc.) to avoid being labeled as anti-Semitic. Just like claiming I have Jewish grandchildren so I’m inoculated against any criticism that my statements, social media posts or meetings with known racists and white supremacists are anti-Semitic.
“Looks a bit like an insurrection and all…”
Aside from singing some pro-Hamas “Give Peace a Chance” melodies and chants, they did exactly the opposite of what the January 6th rioter did. They did NOT enter the capital. They legally went through the security and sat down on the lobby floor and began singing. The ones that didn’t want to be arrested left peacefully….the others were escorted out. None of them destroyed property or attacked Capitol police. There was no disruption of congressional hearings that might have been ongoing at the time.
Yes, it was disgusting, especially the so called “Jewish” sponsorship but no insurrecton