The protesters gathered inside the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building, which houses offices of House of Representatives members, a day before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address Congress.
The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and included rabbis, students, Israeli Americans and descendants of Holocaust survivors, according to The Washington Post.
The demonstrators demanded that the United States stop arming Israel and called for a permanent, immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war.
At about 3:00 p.m., hundreds of protesters singing “let Gaza live” and “stop genocide” sat in a circle around a banner that read “NO ONE IS FREE UNTIL EVERYONE IS FREE.”
They wore red shirts that read “JEWS SAY STOP ARMING ISRAEL” and clapped as they sang “not in our name.” Protesters unfurled banners, including one that said “TIKKUN OLAM = FREE PALESTINE,” referring to the Hebrew phrase that means to repair the world.
A source from the office of Rep. Dan Kildee, a Democrat from Michigan, told Fox News that staff and interns barricaded themselves in their offices, which were close to the demonstration. The protesters were nearby, and the source said the protesters were "violently beating on all three of the doors."
After about 20 minutes, Capitol Police told protesters to stop demonstrating. While some protesters left, many remained. About 10 minutes later, officers began clearing the area, using zip ties to remove protesters from the rotunda, according to The Washington Post.
Reuters reported earlier this week that additional anti-Israel protests are expected at the US Capitol on Wednesday to coincide with Netanyahu's speech.
Police said they expect a "large number of demonstrators" and were making additional security arrangements but said there were no known threats, according to the report.
The US has seen months of protests from pro-Palestinian Arab groups and college students over US support for Israel amid its war in Gaza. Israel National News - Arutz Sheva
