Update (2000ET): Thousands of demonstrators surrounded the White House on Saturday to protest President Joe Biden's response to Israel's military strikes on Gaza.
Chants of "Free Palestine!" , "Genocide is our red line" , and "Israel bombs, your taxes pay" could be heard from protesters - many of whom were bussed in from over two dozen cities.
Anti-Israel protesters have almost completely surrounded the @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/NgOla5x1mx
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) June 8, 2024
Footage posted on X shows protesters getting roudy as police attempted to make an arrest. As a crowd chants "let her go!" officers deployed pepper spray (at 17 seconds).
VIDEO THREAD: Police attempted to make an arrest this afternoon outside the White House in the middle of the pro-Palestine rally kicking off now.
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) June 8, 2024
A crowd surrounded them chanting "let her go!" and struggled with officers, who deployed mace against protesters and press. pic.twitter.com/klBpDEZSF9
The woman was not arrested, and the cops were chased away, with one protester saying "get out of here motherfuckers."
2) Protesters surrounding and resisting the police cheered as a relatively rare moment occurred: The arrestee (whose hands had been cuffed behind their back) was able to leave, unarrested.
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) June 8, 2024
It's not clear to me if they were uncuffed and/or later rearrested. pic.twitter.com/xDZDhhzHkl
The demonstration featured a coalition of groups, including the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Code Pink, which featured protesters dressed as Biden, Antony Blinken, Netanyahu and Israel's Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
"Abandon Biden!" chants as 'Code Pink' protesters dressed as jailed President Biden, Blinken, Gallant and Netanyahu, have children come up to state why they are guilty.
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) June 8, 2024
Massive group is gathered in the Ellipse in Washington DC and holding a "peoples court." pic.twitter.com/LcgjNvkmj9
It was a diverse crowd to say the least...
‘Free Palestine’ protestors are demonstrating against the White House, calling for the murder of Zionists (i.e. most Jews).
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) June 8, 2024
When you live in a political culture that systematically dehumanizes “Zionists,” the eventual outgrowth of dehumanization is violence. History tells us… pic.twitter.com/g8Knc1MGbc
One pro-Hamas group even featured a Biden mask covered in blood.
DC: Protester holds up a bloody mask depicting President Joe Biden. Another protester burns American flag behind him as statue is sprayed with "FJB" outside of the White House during Pro-palestine protest.
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) June 8, 2024
Video by @yyeeaahhhboiii2 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to license pic.twitter.com/viHOfVToDq
Smoke bombs were lit:
#NOW Smoke Bomb flares set off outside of the White House, police rush in as thousands gather to protest for Palestine, planning to "Surround the White House".
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) June 8, 2024
Video by @yyeeaahhhboiii2 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to license pic.twitter.com/FsI3M1rrID
And protesters threw bottles at a police officer, breaking into a chant of "Fascist!"
#NOW Park Police dances as protesters throw bottles and chant "Fascist!" at him outside of White House DC pic.twitter.com/mXC9CeO4Ed
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) June 8, 2024
Oh and there was a giant pride parade a few streets over.
Men march through the streets of Washington DC wearing their underwear, fetish gear and leather dog masks during the Pride Parade- attended by families.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) June 8, 2024
🎥 @TimcastNews
pic.twitter.com/OKNmL6d3M5
* * *
President Biden loves taxpayer-funded walls, except for former President Trump's southern border wall. The elderly president has a beautiful taxpayer-funded wall around his beach home in exclusive Rehoboth Beach (a destination for rich liberals), where the poors and illegal aliens are not allowed. On the topic of walls this weekend, another taxpayer-funded wall was quietly erected around the White House in recent days.
Biden builds a wall to protect the White House,
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 8, 2024
but refuses to build a wall to protect America. https://t.co/EdQggNVr5E
Biden's 'White House Wall' was erected on Friday ahead of ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), an anti-war group founded three days after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, along with other activist groups, including CODEPINK and the Council on American Islamic Relations, who are all planning to surround the White House for Palestine on Saturday.
ANSWER posted on X numerous videos that show busses of pro-Palestinian protesters en route to Washington, DC, Saturday morning.
🚌Thousands of people have boarded buses and are on their way to D.C. to establish #thepeoplesredline for Gaza!
— ANSWER Coalition (@answercoalition) June 8, 2024
🇵🇸 All across the country, people are fed up with Biden’s policy of genocide and ready to fight back! pic.twitter.com/4fHe19y9oP
BREAKING: Activists from Boston Coalition for Palestine, Boston's chapter of Party for Socialism & Liberation, Boston South Asian Coalition, and Palestinian Youth Movement Boston are boarding multiple buses to show up for the Surround the White House for Gaza protest in… pic.twitter.com/jZhso5sZO2
— Stu (@thestustustudio) June 8, 2024
Here are some of the protesters representing Party for Socialism & Liberation. pic.twitter.com/BTdo8nno96
— Stu (@thestustustudio) June 8, 2024
🚨🇵🇸New York City is on the road to DC to draw #thepeoplesredline for Gaza and energy is high!
— ANSWER Coalition (@answercoalition) June 8, 2024
🫡See you soon! pic.twitter.com/GLbj0fl14E
🇵🇸FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE!
— ANSWER Coalition (@answercoalition) June 8, 2024
🚌Philadelphia is on their way to D.C. to draw #thepeoplesredline for Rafah! If Biden won’t draw the red line, we will! pic.twitter.com/RlzqrhTu6o
🚌Dearborn, MI is on their way to Washington, D.C. to join the national march and draw #thepeoplesredline for Rafah! If Biden refuses to draw the red line, we will!
— Party for Socialism and Liberation (@pslnational) June 8, 2024
🇵🇸See you in Lafayette Park at 12pm! pic.twitter.com/m6EmaIDILh
"In preparation for the events this weekend in Washington, DC, that have the potential for large crowds to gather, additional public safety measures have been put in place near the White House complex," a US Secret Service spokesperson told Reuters.
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