Protesters against Israel's war on Gaza staged a sit-in at a congressional office building on Tuesday ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress, with Capitol Police making multiple arrests.
Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday for a several-day visit that included meetings with President Joe Biden and a Wednesday speech before a joint session of Congress. Dozens of protesters rallied outside his hotel Monday evening.
On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators took over the rotunda of the Cannon Building, which houses offices of House of Representatives members.
Organised 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 US 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.
It wasn't immediately clear how many protesters had been arrested.
Mitchell Rivard, chief of staff for Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., 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 ceasefire deal and bring home the captives still being held by Hamas.
Families of some of the remaining captives 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 US 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 re-election bid and 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.
