Washington, D.C. – In a demonstration organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, two Jewish American groups advocating for Palestinians, hundreds of protesters gathered at Capitol Hill to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Despite police warnings, demonstrators entered the rotunda of the Cannon House office building, resulting in multiple arrests.
The protesters delivered a clear message to President Joe Biden, urging him to use his influence to implement a ceasefire and to employ any available means to pressure Israel into halting its military actions against Palestinians in Gaza.
In preparation for the rally, Capitol Police took precautions by deploying additional officers and setting up more bike racks. The protest aimed to show solidarity with those calling for a ceasefire in Palestinian territories.
Just before 3 p.m., Capitol Police posted a notice on their social media platform, indicating that protesters were inside the Cannon Rotunda. They emphasized that demonstrations were not permitted inside Congressional Buildings.
The protest prompted Capitol Police to restrict pedestrian access to House office buildings, allowing only House members and staff to enter. Rolling road closures were also implemented to manage the situation.
As of 4 p.m., Capitol Police had not provided an exact count of arrests or injuries resulting from the protest. However, they did confirm at least three arrests for “assault on a police officer during processing.” According to Jewish Voice for Peace, around 350 people, including two dozen rabbis, participated in a sit-in at the Cannon House building. The organization declared that the protesters would not leave until Congress called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Jewish Voice for Peace describes itself as the “largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization in the world” and claims to be the only “major Jewish group” supporting the “Palestinian civil society call for boycott, divestment, and sanctions.”
Notably, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) referred to the protest as “an insurrection” and shared footage of the inside and outside of the House building. She also posted earlier in the day that Capitol Police had received intelligence indicating that members of Congress might be targeted, and they were advised to “stay inside and only use the underground tunnels.”
The protest took place in Washington, D.C., nearly two weeks after Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in over 1,400 Israeli casualties. In response, Israel declared war on Hamas, a Gaza-based militant group, leading to the deaths of more than 3,000 Palestinians and thousands of injuries. As part of the conflict, Israel ceased the supply of fuel, water, and other resources to Gaza, leaving civilians without essential utilities. However, on the same day as the protest, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that aid from Egypt would be allowed into Gaza, provided it did not reach Hamas.
Jewish Voice for Peace is conducting a “week of actions” in D.C. to oppose what it perceives as a path toward “genocide” in Palestinian territories and to demand an immediate ceasefire.
During President Biden’s recent visit to Israel, he expressed support for Israel and condemned the actions of Hamas. He also mentioned his deep sadness and outrage over an explosion at a hospital in Gaza. He said that, based on the information he had, it appeared the hospital explosion was caused by “other team (Islam Jihadists), not by you (Israel)”.
Also Read: Gaza Hospital Blast: The U.S. says Israel is not behind this
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