Protest In US Congress Building Against Benjamin Netanyahu's Visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the United States has sparked protests in Washington. Protesters staged a sit-in at a congressional office building on Tuesday. The US Capitol Police said that about 200 people were arrested. Reports indicate that the protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace.

Protesters mainly demanded that the US should immediately cease all arms shipments to Israel, reported the Associated Press. As per the report, demonstrators wearing red T-shirts that read “Not In Our Name” staged a flashmob-style protest in the Cannon Building, which houses offices of House of Representatives members. They also carried banners reading "ceasefire now" and "let Gaza live."

UPDATE: Approximately 200 people were arrested for D.C. Code § 22–1307 - Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding – for demonstrating inside the Cannon House Office Building. Demonstrating inside the Congressional Buildings is against the law.

— The U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) July 24, 2024

"For the past 9 months, we've witnessed countless horrors in Gaza, committed in our names and funded by our government," Jewish Voice for Peace wrote in a post on X. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday and is also expected to meet US President Joe Biden. However, Democrats and independents plan to boycott Netanyahu's appearance.

At the same time, Dr Ayadil Saparbekov, head of the WHO’s team in the Palestinian territories, said that there was a high risk of the polio virus spreading across the Gaza Strip. The BBC reported that traces of polio were found in sewage samples collected from two sites in Gaza a month ago. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus earlier said that the decimation of the health system, lack of security, shortages of medical supplies, poor quality of water, and weakened sanitation are increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio.