Capitol protest ignites security fears around Netanyahu speech
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U.S. Capitol Police arrest pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the Cannon House office building on July 23, 2024. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images.
A large, raucous pro-Palestinian protest Tuesday at a U.S. House office building is spiking lawmakers' concerns about security around Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming speech.
Why it matters: The protests spilled over from a common area to several individual lawmakers' offices, with one office calling the police on demonstrators.
- Rep. Dan Kildee's (D-Mich.) office "had to call U.S. Capitol Police for assistance" after "hundreds of protesters outside the office became disruptive," Kildee's chief of staff Mitchell Rivard said in a statement.
- Rivard said protesters were "violently beating on the office doors, shouting loudly, and attempting to force entry into the office."
- Spokespeople for Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, the groups that organized the protest, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
State of play: The protest, in which hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in the Cannon House Office Building, prompted Capitol Police to make scores of arrests for demonstrating in a restricted area.
- It may just be a taste of what's to come when Netanyahu arrives on Wednesday. The U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights has said "tens of thousands" of people will gather at the Capitol.
- Capitol security officials and law enforcement are already taking precautions, erecting a fence, restricting entrances to the complex and encouraging staffers to move through the building's tunnel system.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Tuesday that additional police officers will be posted outside the Capitol and inside the House chamber.
What they're saying: Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) told Axios that protesters were camped outside his office, prompting the Capitol Police to instruct his staff to remain inside.
- "It crosses the line ... when it makes it impossible for people within the Capitol – not just people who work here but others who are visiting their representatives – to even get around," Schneider said.
- Kildee told Axios the protest is escalating safety concerns for Wednesday, saying "obviously, we're going to take extra precautions going forward."
- "I'm concerned about my safety," said Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), who told Axios he isn't wearing his member pin because "I don't want to be a target."
- "There are certainly safety concerns. Whenever you have zealots protesting, there's no telling where it's going to lead," said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), adding that the reliability of law enforcement is a "question" after Jan. 6 and the Trump assassination attempt.
What to watch: Some Democrats have told Axios that, in addition to sitting out the speech, they may avoid Capitol Hill altogether tomorrow afternoon to avoid the protests.
- Democrats got a briefing on security around the speech during their closed-door caucus meeting on Tuesday morning, according to multiple lawmakers present.
- Schneider and Kildee both told Axios they are letting staff work remotely on Wednesday.
The other side: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who said she may leave Capitol Hill after votes on Wednesday out of concern for her personal safety, defended the protest on Tuesday.
- JVP and IfNotNow "have a history of powerful, peaceful, non-violent protests at the Capitol, and I think that their actions are inspiring," she told Axios.
The bottom line: "I think the new normal is that everyone is always concerned about safety since January 6," said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.).
Go deeper: Democrats' chaos makes Netanyahu speech an "afterthought"
