Jewish demonstrators arrested in Cannon Rotunda for protesting Gaza war

Inside the building at about 3 p.m., hundreds of protesters sang, “Let Gaza live” and “Stop genocide” and sat in a circle around a banner that read “NO ONE IS FREE UNTIL EVERYONE IS FREE.” They wore red shirts that read “JEWS SAY STOP ARMING ISRAEL” and clapped as they sang “not in our name.” Protesters unfurled banners, including one that said: “TIKKUN OLAM = FREE PALESTINE,” referring to the Hebrew phrase that means to repair the world. Several protesters wore handmade prayer shawls with poppies, a national symbol for Palestinians and the words “NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE.”

After about 20 minutes, Capitol Police told protesters to stop demonstrating. While some protesters left, many remained. About 10 minutes later, officers then began clearing the area, using zip ties to remove protesters from the rotunda. As Capitol Police officers zip-tied protesters, the group recited the Shema, a Jewish prayer, and chanted “free Palestine” and “let Gaza live.” By about 4:30, police had cleared out all the protesters from the rotunda.

“Demonstrations are not allowed inside the Congressional Buildings,” Capitol Police wrote on X. “We told the people, who legally entered, to stop or they would be arrested. They did not stop, so we are arresting them.” Capitol Police did not immediately provide an estimate on the number of people arrested.

The demonstration comes amid a crucial moment for U.S.-Israeli relations and Gaza cease-fire negotiations. Thousands of people are expected to rally on the National Mall on Wednesday to protest Netanyahu’s speech and demand an end to the war. Relatives of hostages also traveled to Washington this week to meet with officials, hold news conferences and rallies, and attend Netanyahu’s speech in hopes that they can persuade the prime minister to quickly sign a deal releasing their loved ones.

Many of the demonstrators Tuesday said they will be joining the anti-Netanyahu demonstration Wednesday but wanted to stage their own, separate protest focused on the Jewish people opposed to Netanyahu and sending arms to Israel. Demonstrators demanding an immediate cease-fire have been a hallmark in the District for months, protesting in the halls of Congress, outside leaders’ homes, in front of the White House and on city streets.

Among the protesters Tuesday afternoon was Benjamin Kersten, a 31-year-old doctoral student studying art history at the University of California at Los Angeles who arrived in the region on a red eye Tuesday morning. Kersten, who is Jewish and was one of the leaders of the UCLA student encampment, said he wanted to make clear to politicians that Jewish safety is not synonymous with arming Israel. Instead, he called Netanyahu a “war criminal,” citing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the civilians, including children, who have been killed and injured.

“Our safety will come at a time when everyone will have the resources they need to thrive,” he said. “Our demand for a cease-fire is fundamentally rooted in the belief that all life is precious. So our call for a cease-fire is also a call for the safety of the hostages and a cessation of hostility.”

Rabbi Linda Holtzman, leader of the social justice community Tikkun Olam Chavurah in Philadelphia, said there is a “mass murder” happening in Gaza and believes the path to a cease-fire includes an end to U.S. military aid to Israel. Holtzman said there needs to be a political decision about the future of Israel and she hopes to see a future that Palestinians and Israelis can decide together.

“It’s incredibly important for me to be here as a rabbi and as a Jew because at the heart of Jewish tradition is the sanctity of life,” Holtzman said. “We can’t sit back and watch people being killed and not stand up. That feels, to me, like a serious anti-Jewish thing to do.”