Thousands of pro-Palestine supporters have taken to the streets of Washington DC demanding a ceasefire. They waved signs calling Biden a “child murderer.”
The mass gathering is the latest demonstration against the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip, which has so far killed more than 9,250 people, according to the state’s health ministry.
An estimated 30,000 protesters were expected to gather at the city’s Freedom Plaza from 2 p.m. before marching in a loop past the White House.
Protesters are calling for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel and retaliatory strikes against Gaza that have plagued the country since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack that killed 1,400 people.
“Now is the time to stand with the beleaguered people of Palestine!” Gaza is being bombarded for hours. Israel denies its people food, water and electricity. Tens of thousands more people are likely to die. We have to take action!’ a note on the Answer Coalition website.
Around 30,000 pro-Palestine supporters took to the streets in Washington DC
Demonstrators gathered at Freedom Plaza on Saturday for the march that was scheduled to pass the White House
Several participants at the rally held provocative signs, including this one accusing President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of child murder
The group said buses were rented to transport pro-Palestinian supporters from across the U.S. and its territories to the event.
Images show crowds of protesters clutching Palestinian flags and signs accusing the US of enabling war crimes.
One poster featured a picture of Biden with blood-soaked hands and read: “Gaza has become a cemetery for children, where one is killed every ten minutes.”
Cries of “Free, free Palestine” also rang out in the square, which quickly became overcrowded.
Orthodox and other Jews were among those who supported the protest, carrying banners reading “Judaism condemns Zionist terrorism in Gaza.”
Nine Palestinian organizations were listed as co-sponsors of the event, supported by an additional 443 groups, including anti-war coalitions, environmentalists, and Christian and other religious groups.
The march on Washington comes as similar protests have taken place across the country, including in New York, Seattle and San Francisco, as well as in smaller cities such as Orono, Maine.
In the Big Apple, “busloads” of protesters gathered at Herald Square in solidarity with the DC march.
The protest in Washington DC took place at the same time as others were taking place across the US and around the world
Protesters gathered to demand a ceasefire and an end to US military aid to Israel
The bombing of Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attacks that killed 1,400 people is estimated to have killed more than 9,250 people in the Gaza Strip, according to the country’s health ministry
The protest continued after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected President Biden’s requests for a “humanitarian pause” in the bombing
Protesters carried fake body bags with the names and ages of victims of the Israeli airstrikes
Rallies around the world also took place on Saturday in major cities such as London, Berlin, Paris, Ankara and Istanbul.
Jewish groups have discouraged counter-protests or engaging with the pro-Palestine demonstrators, the Guardian reports.
Jen Zwilling of the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center sent an email to members warning that engagement “could increase the potential for violence or anti-Semitic rhetoric,” the outlet reports.
The bombing entered its 27th day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week rejected calls from President Biden for a “humanitarian pause” in the attacks.
The White House clarified that Biden was not proposing a full ceasefire, but favored a pause to allow humanitarian aid and the transport of prisoners.
His comments, made as support for the attacks waned following reports of attacks on refugee camps and churches, mark a departure from previous pledges not to dictate Israel’s military policy.
On Thursday, Hamas officials said 27 people had been killed in an attack near a UN school.
The latest deaths in the Israel-Hamas conflict included 27 people killed in an airstrike near a UN school
Vice President Kamal Harris confirmed Thursday that the U.S. will not impose conditions on its military aid: “We will continue to stand up for Israel’s right to self-defense,” she said
But on the same day, Vice President Kamala Harris said the United States would not seek to condition the support it gives Israel.
“We will not create conditions for the support we give Israel to defend itself,” she said.
“We will continue to stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself, and let us be clear and never forget what happened on October 7, when hundreds, thousands, 1,400 innocent people were killed and slaughtered.” Young people , who simply attended a concert.’