500+ Jewish American activists flood Capitol Hill to call for Gaza ceasefire

Hundreds of American Jewish activists were arrested by police on Tuesday after protesting against US military support for Israel and calling for a Gaza ceasefire on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. The protest occurred a day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress. US Capitol Police said around 200 people were arrested for demonstrating inside a Congressional Building and that people had been warned that protesting inside a government building was against US law. The demonstration was organised by Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), an anti-Zionist advocacy organisation that calls for an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian land and for "Judaism beyond Zionism". Hundreds of protestors wore red or white t-shirts emblazoned with "Jews say stop arming Israel" and "not in our name". Some carried banners reading "Ceasefire now" and "Let Gaza live". Many of the protestors said that as descendants of Holocaust survivors, they felt compelled to ensure that genocide does not happen again. Additional protests will coincide with Netanyahu's visit, during which he will meet President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.