Around 200 people were arrested on Tuesday during a pro-Palestine protest at a Congress building, a day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to address lawmakers.
The rally, which took place at the Cannon House Office Building, was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace.
US Capitol Police said they warned protesterswho shouted pro-Palestine slogans, before the arrests began, that demonstrating in the building was illegal.
No one seemed to resist arrest. Capitol Police lightly tapped protesters on the shoulders to get them to stand, secured them with white zip ties and slowly escorted them out of the building.
Stefanie Fox, executive director of Jewish Voice for Peace, said Netanyahu’s upcoming speech to a joint meeting of Congress was the reason for the protest.
“For nine months, we watched in horror as the Israeli government carried out a genocide, armed and financed by the USA. Congress and the Biden administration have the power to end this horror today. Instead, our president is preparing to meet with Netanyahu and Congressional leadership has honored him with an invitation to speak before Congress,” Fox said in a statement.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who watched protesters being arrested from the third floor, later told NBC News that the protest was “a disgrace.”
“You know, frankly, these people continue to spew pro-Hamas talking points, continue to spew anti-American, anti-Israel hate,” Lawler said, adding that “many of them don’t seem to recognize the irony that if they were actually in Gaza , Hamas would most likely kill them.”
Mitchell Rivard, chief of staff for Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., said in a statement that his office was forced to call the Capitol Police for assistance because protesters were “violently banging on office doors, shouting loudly and trying to force entry into the office.”
“Capitol Police and the U.S. Sergeant-at-Arms immediately responded to the incident and made several arrests. Congressman Kildee is safe and all of his employees have been held accountable,” Rivard added.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
