On Thursday afternoon, over a dozen pro-Palestine demonstrators were arrested at the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The demonstrators were heard chanting for a permanent cease-fire in the rotunda of the government building, connected to the U.S. Capitol Building.
During the protest, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida was seen attempting to conduct a TV news interview amidst the loud chants of the protesters. The demonstrators were calling for dignity, not inhumanity, and advocating for food, not bombs. Some even identified themselves as Christians for a cease-fire.
U.S. Capitol Police reported that approximately 13 demonstrators were arrested after warnings were issued to cease their demonstration. Despite most protesters complying and leaving, a group of 13 individuals remained and were subsequently arrested by the authorities.
Photos from the scene captured one protester being escorted out of the rotunda by a USCP officer, who used zipties to restrain the arrested individuals. The arrested protesters were charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding as per D.C. Code § 22–1307.
These protests underscore the mounting pressure President Biden is facing within his own party from demonstrators advocating for a cease-fire in Gaza. The incident at the Russell Senate Office Building reflects the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the calls for peace and humanitarian aid in the region.
