|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Edited by: Fern Sidman
Anti-Israel protesters opposing the ongoing war against Hamas terrorism in Gaza staged a significant sit-in at the Cannon House Office Building on Tuesday. According to an Associated Press report on Tuesday, this event coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, where he is scheduled to address Congress. The protest, organized by the anti-Zionist Jewish Voice for Peace group resulted in multiple arrests by Capitol Police.
Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday for a multi-day visit, during which he will meet with President Joe Biden and deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. The AP also reported that on Monday evening, dozens of protesters gathered outside Netanyahu’s hotel, setting the stage for the larger demonstration that unfolded the following day.
Where are the barricades? Where is the US Capitol riot police? Where are the flash-bang grenades and rubber bullet shots to the face?
We will expect 20 year trespassing prison sentences and solitary confinement for this insurrection. pic.twitter.com/rzVBNyBCBL
— Loomer Report (@LoomerReport) July 23, 2024
On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators took to the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building, which serves as a workspace for many House of Representatives members. Clad in identical red T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Not In Our Name,” the protesters voiced their opposition to the Gaza conflict with chants of “Let Gaza Live!,” the AP report said. The sit-in lasted for about thirty minutes, during which the protesters clapped and chanted anti-Israel slogans.
The U.S. Capitol Police responded to the demonstration by issuing several warnings before proceeding with arrests, as was noted in the AP report. While it was not immediately clear how many individuals were arrested, the actions of the Capitol Police called attention to the tension and high stakes surrounding the issue.
Among the demonstrators was Jane Hirschmann, a resident of Saugerties, New York, and the daughter of Holocaust survivors. The AP reported that Hirschmann’s presence at the protest, along with her two daughters who were arrested, added a personal dimension to the event. “I am the daughter of Holocaust survivors and I know what a Holocaust looks like. When we say ‘Never Again,’ we mean never for anybody,” she said, implying that Israel has intentionally killed innocents in Gaza.
A significant incident occurred when demonstrators targeted the office of Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich. According to Mitchell Rivard, Kildee’s chief of staff, the situation escalated rapidly. The AP reported that Rivard stated, “Our 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.” This led to swift action by Capitol Police to restore order, highlighting the intensity of emotions surrounding Netanyahu’s visit.
Families of the remaining hostages planned a vigil on the National Mall on Tuesday night, aiming to draw attention to their plight and press for their release. The report in the AP indicated that police have ramped up security around the Capitol building and have closed several roads for the week, preparing for the multiple protests expected.
Netanyahu’s schedule includes several high-profile meetings. According to a U.S. official who spoke anonymously to the AP, President Biden and Netanyahu are expected to meet on Thursday. Vice President Kamala Harris will also have a separate meeting with Netanyahu the same day. Harris, who is the Senate president, would typically sit behind foreign leaders addressing Congress, but she will be away on a pre-scheduled trip to Indianapolis, the AP report said. This absence coincides with her emergence as the likely Democratic presidential candidate after President Biden withdrew his reelection bid over the weekend.
