Pro-Palestine protests on the rise in the D.C. area
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Jewish elders chain themselves to the White House fence, calling for a ceasefire. Photo: Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images
Pro-Palestinian protests spread across the D.C. area on Monday as part of a global strike calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The big picture: Cities across the country have seen hundreds of protests since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, with a growing proportion in support of Palestinians, writes Axios' Rahul Mukherjee.
By the numbers: Of the related protests in D.C. from Oct. 7 to Dec. 1, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project reports that 35 have been pro-Palestine, while 13 were pro-Israel.
- Another 10 were neutral — calls for peace that don't mention support or condemnation of either party to the conflict.
- Both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protests have drawn tens of thousands of demonstrators to D.C. this fall.
Driving the news: The Palestinian National and Islamic Forces issued last week the call for a global strike after the U.S. vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
What they're saying: "This movement stands against the open genocide in Gaza, the ethnic cleansing and the colonial settlement in the West Bank," the coalition said in a statement.
Zoom in: In D.C. on Monday, around 50 activists were arrested for illegally demonstrating inside the Hart Senate Office Building, including one man who climbed a statue in Hart's atrium.
- Hours before the annual White House Hanukkah party, 18 Jewish elders chained themselves to the fence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
- Actions proceeded into the evening, including a Palestinian Youth Movement Vigil and "Chanukah for Ceasefire" protest at the White House.