Zoe Mckey, Staff Writer
Thousands of protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., to oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit and denounce the ongoing war in Gaza, which has claimed over 39,000 Palestinian lives. Chanting slogans like “Free, free Palestine” and carrying Palestinian flags and signs calling for the arrest of Netanyahu and an end to U.S. aid to Israel, they marched toward the Capitol. In a symbolic act, protesters replaced American flags with Palestinian ones at Union Station, drawing massive cheers from the crowd.
Despite their peaceful intent, the demonstrators faced resistance from U.S. Capitol Police, who used pepper spray on some participants after they allegedly became violent and disobeyed orders to move back. The police blocked the protesters from getting close to the Capitol, and some were detained after attempting to block Netanyahu’s route. The protest continued through the Capitol Hill neighborhood, culminating in a large gathering in front of a nearby rail station.
