Netanyahu's U.S. speech sparks huge protests across D.C.: Several arrested
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Activists at a pro-Palestinian protest near the Capitol building. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
At least 17 people were arrested outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday while protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress, local law enforcement said Wednesday evening.
The big picture: The massive demonstration in the streets of Washington, D.C., comes as roughly half of House and Senate Democrats skipped the address in protest of Netanyahu and his actions regarding the war in Gaza.
Driving the news: U.S. Park Police said officers arrested eight people at Columbus Circle after a permit for the protest was revoked about 3:30pm and crowds were told to leave the area.
- "A crowd in and around Columbus Circle associated with a First Amendment demonstration damaged and destroyed park property, including vandalizing statues and fountains, tearing down and burning flags, and starting several small fires," per the Park Police statement.
- The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia said in a statement that its officers had made nine arrests as of 6pm.
- Another six people were arrested and charged for "disrupting" Netanyahu's speech inside the House Gallery, according to Capitol Police. The Hostage Families Forum said relatives of hostages either killed or being held by Hamas were among those arrested at the Capitol.
Zoom in: While most protesters marched peacefully, video and photos from the scene at Columbus Circle show demonstrators outside Union Station burning an American flag.
- A U.S. flag was replaced with a Palestinian one on a flag pole outside Union Station, video showed.
- Other videos showed protesters engaging with police, and sometimes being pushed away from barriers. Reporters from those on scene at protests outside Union Station and the U.S. Capitol Complex indicated police had used pepper spray and pepper balls during some encounters.
Zoom out: More than 200 New York City police officers were in D.C. to assist Capitol Police for events in the area this week, New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry said in a post on social media Tuesday.
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