Pro-Palestinian protesters crowded the White House gates Saturday evening after thousands demonstrated in downtown Washington, D.C., to call for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.
The protesters originally gathered in downtown D.C. in the afternoon, many equipped with Palestinian flags and dressed in the traditional black and white Palestinian scarves called keffiyeh to denounce Israel’s military action in Gaza following the terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, according to USA Today. Video showed some later making their way to the gates of the White House and pushing against the fence, which prompted a response from the Secret Service and led to members of the media and staff around the area being relocated, according to a statement from Secret Service given to Fox News. (RELATED: UN Agency Teachers Praised Hamas Oct. 7 Attacks In Group Chat, Watchdog Finds)
Protesters at the March on Washington for Gaza at Freedom Plaza in DC parade around a black Jihad flag to the indifference or support of others pic.twitter.com/OTa7Nvio3Z
— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) January 13, 2024
The event, called the March on Washington for Gaza, was promoted to be likely the largest pro-Palestinian demonstration since the war began, according to The Guardian. The American Muslim Task Force for Palestine and other groups organized the event, claiming that Israel is perpetuating “crimes against humanity” and that there should be the creation of a fully recognized Palestinian state.
The protest featured a number of chants, including “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” according to USA Today. That particular slogan has the historical implication to many that it is calling for the eradication of the Jewish state of Israel while also promoting genocide.
A smaller group of protesters moved to the fences in front of the White House in the evening following the main rally, where they were seen banging on the barrier and chanting, according to an X video from reporter Julio Rosas. In another video, protesters can be seen increasingly pushing against the fence, prompting Secret Service personnel to man the area to prevent a breach, with attendees heard saying, “Fuck Joe Biden.”
🚨: DC police and Secret Service had to rush to one part of the security fence to prevent a breach from the Palestinian crowd. pic.twitter.com/CQFkE6q9nn
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) January 13, 2024
Pro-Palestinian protesters held a similar event in November in downtown D.C., with that protest ending with numerous people swarming the outer perimeter of the White House fence. In that event, protesters could be heard chanting “Allahu Akbar” and “Raise your hand, make a fist, Palestine will resist.”
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