Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Washington D.C. on Wednesday, condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit and the ongoing war in Gaza. Demonstrators chanted “Free, free Palestine” as they marched towards the Capitol, where clashes with police resulted in the use of pepper spray and the arrest of 23 individuals.
Protesters, carrying Palestinian flags and signs reading “arrest Netanyahu” and “end all U.S. aid to Israel,” filled several blocks of the nation’s capital. Outside Washington’s Union Station, American flags were replaced with Palestinian ones, eliciting massive cheers from the crowd.
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Chants of “Bibi, Bibi, we’re not done! The intifada has just begun!” and “Netanyahu, you can’t hide. You’re committing genocide,” echoed through the streets as demonstrators expressed their outrage.
The protests coincided with Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress, where he thanked the U.S. for its support and urged for expedited military aid to Israel. Netanyahu condemned the demonstrators, referring to them as “Iran’s useful idiots” and asserting that America and Israel “must stand together” against common enemies. He recalled the October 7 Hamas attacks, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, labeling it a day that “will live in infamy.”
“Bibi, Bibi, We’re not done! The intifada has just begun!”— protesters shouted
Some Democratic lawmakers boycotted Netanyahu’s speech, with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi describing it as “the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary” to address Congress. Outside, tensions escalated as protesters attempted to block Netanyahu’s route to the Capitol and later marched through the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
“Netanyahu, you can’t hide. You’re committing genocide,”–Protesters
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday and former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. The Israeli Prime Minister’s visit comes amidst a nine-month-long campaign in Gaza, which has reportedly resulted in over 39,000 Palestinian deaths according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
