Capitol police arrest anti-Israel protesters who massed in Congressional building

The US Capitol police say they have arrested a group of demonstrators who held an anti-Israel demonstration in the rotunda of the Cannon House of Representatives Office Building.

Deafening protest in cannon rotunda. pic.twitter.com/DuM6Fmbg4C

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) July 23, 2024

Jewish Voice for Peace says some 400 members of the far-left anti-Israel group had gathered at the rotunda to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming speech to Congress and US arms being sold to Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

“We are arresting a group that is illegally demonstrating inside the Cannon Rotunda,” Capitol Police say in a statement. “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.”

A congressional aide for Michigan Democrat Dan Kildee tells Politico their office called the police for help as demonstrators were “violently beating on all three of our congressional office doors” and “violently shouting.”

Police do not say how many people were detained, but JVP claims that over 300 people were arrested, posting pictures online of demonstrators being ziptied and led out of the building.

⚠️⚠️⚠️ 300+ ARRESTS HAPPENING NOW INSIDE CONGRESS: HUNDREDS OF JEWS AND ALLIES ARE GETTING ARRESTED FOR DEMANDING OUR GOVERNMENT STOP ARMING ISRAEL. CEASEFIRE NOW — END THE PALESTINIAN GENOCIDE. pic.twitter.com/PvthT4vfCu

— Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) July 23, 2024