Hundreds of protesters were arrested on Capitol Hill today as they demonstrated inside the Cannon Office Building, chanting for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war.
The demonstrators initially protested on the Capitol grounds, but then made their way into the rotunda of the office building, where a number of media outlets have crews for correspondents to do standups during congressional proceedings. Capitol Police said that demonstrations are not allowed in Capitol buildings and that three protesters were arrested and charged with assault on an officer during processing.
The protests were organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, which says it is the largest progressive anti-Zionist organization in the world.
Demonstrators unfurled a banner in the rotunda that read “Jews Say Ceasefire Now!” and another that read “Let Gaza Live.” Throughout the afternoon, demonstrators were lined up in hallways with plastic shackles to be processed, at times singing and chanting.
A Capitol Police spokesperson told ABC News that about 300 were arrested in the demonstration, most for their demonstration. The public is allowed to enter the Capitol office buildings, but cannot cause a disturbance.
“We warned the protesters to stop demonstrating and when they did not comply we began arresting them,” the Capitol Police said.
Reporters who had been covering the speaker vote trekked over to the Cannon building to observe the protests. Capitol Police had instituted heightened security for the day, closing off portions of the Capitol grounds and, when the protests started in Cannon, they closed many of the entrances to House office buildings. The area was cleared by 6 p.m. ET.
Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) watched the protests from the rotunda and waved an Israeli flag. He wrote on X/Twitter, “I stand with Israel!”
On the Senate side, one demonstrator interrupted a Foreign Relations confirmation hearing for Jack Lew to be the next U.S. ambassador to Israel.