From the Liveblog of
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Police make arrests at Washington protest calling for ceasefire in Gaza
Police in Washington responded to a Wednesday night protest outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, officials say.
US Capitol Police said about 150 people were “illegally and violently protesting” near the DNC headquarters building in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington. Members of Congress were evacuated from the building as the protest erupted.
Video posted on social media showed protesters shoving police officers and trying to grab hold of metal barricades as the officers moved in to make arrests. The videos also show officers shoving protesters. Many of the protesters were wearing black shirts that read “Cease Fire Now.”
Protesters included members of If Not Now and Jewish Voice for Peace, who have organized other demonstrations in Washington.
If Not Now posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “police are being extremely violent.”
Now cops are violently attacking hundreds of people calling for a ceasefire outside of DNC Headquarters, as we chant "Let Gaza Live!"
We want to be crystal clear to the Democratic Party: you cannot continue to ignore those you claim to represent.
The people will not allow it. pic.twitter.com/0mzkHqg77l
— IfNotNow???? (@IfNotNowOrg) November 16, 2023
“We are linking arms, threatening no one, and begging our politicians to support an end to the killing and the suffering in Gaza. Begging, peacefully, for a ceasefire,” the group posted.
