The protest, organised by a radical anti-Israel group was held inside the congressional Cannon House Office Building and timed to coincide with Netanyahu’s visit to Washington DC
July 24, 2024 08:31
ByJC Reporter, Jewish News Syndicate
Washington DC’s Capitol Police arrested some 200 people protesting against U.S. military aid for Israel inside the Congressional Cannon House Office Building last night.
Police said protesters violated a law against “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding,” adding that "demonstrations are not allowed inside the Congressional Buildings.”
“We told the people, who legally entered, to stop or they would be arrested. They did not stop, so we are arresting them,” added police.
We are arresting a group that is illegally demonstrating inside the Cannon Rotunda. Demonstrations are not allowed inside the Congressional Buildings. We told the people, who legally entered, to stop or they would be arrested. They did not stop, so we are arresting them. pic.twitter.com/UVhfO9uroo
The protest was organised by the radical anti-zionist group “Jewish Voice for Peace.”
In a statement, they said: "For 75 years, the Israeli government has illegally occupied Palestinian land and ethnically cleansed their communities. Now, Gaza is facing genocide with full support from the US
"We’re here as Jews to refuse to be complicit and say never again, for anyone. STOP ARMING ISRAEL!"
Mitchell Rivard, chief of staff for Representative Dan Kildee of Michigan, said he called for intervention after the protesters “became disruptive, violently beating on the office doors, shouting loudly, and attempting to force entry into the office.”
Kildee told the Associated Press he was confused by his office being targeted as he voted against a supplemental military aid package to Israel earlier this year.
Capitol Police have increased security measures in Washington ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled address to Congress on Wednesday afternoon.
The plan includes “adding more officers—including from several outside agencies” and “ensuring that we have enough resources for our teams,” according to a Capitol Police statement cited by U.S. media.
“We anticipate a large number of demonstrators to show up. We respect everyone’s First Amendment rights, however all demonstrations must be done peacefully and legally,” the statement added, per Axios.
Netanyahu is set to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday afternoon, after he was invited by congressional leadership.
The speech will mark the fourth time the Israeli premier has addressed the legislatures, a record for a foreign leader.
The US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), an organisation that coordinates the efforts of over 300 anti-Israel groups, has warned that “tens of thousands of people from across the U.S.” will gather at the Capitol during the speech to demand a “citizen’s arrest” of Netanyahu.
Last month, JVP condemned Israel’s rescue of four hostages during a complex operation as part of an ongoing “genocide” in Gaza.
“The acceleration of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians was on full display today, as Israeli soldiers and drones massacred hundreds of Palestinians in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, supported and enabled by the US government,” tweeted the anti-Israel NGO.
During the operation in a crowded residential neighbourhood in the central Gaza Strip, Israeli forces recovered from Hamas captivity Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 21; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 40. The hostages were all abducted by Hamas from the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im during the October 7 massacre.
JVP, which describes itself as “the largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organisation in the world,” has been at the forefront of anti-Israel protests across the United States since Oct. 7.
The Anti-Defamation League describes JVP as “a radical anti-Israel activist group that advocates for a complete economic, cultural and academic boycott of the State of Israel,” while noting the organisation “does not represent the mainstream Jewish community.”
The organisation “rejects the view that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a tragic dispute over land which has been perpetuated by a cycle of violence, fear and distrust on both sides, in favour of the belief that Israeli policies and actions are motivated by deeply rooted Jewish racial chauvinism and religious supremacism.”