Pro-Palestine protesters gathered near the US Capitol on Thursday morning in a demonstration aimed at pressuring the government into supporting a ceasefire in Gaza.
Carrying placards calling for the end of US funding to Israel, the several dozen protesters demanded an immediate end to the violence in the Palestinian enclave.
“No peace on stolen land,” the protesters chanted. “Justice is our demand.”
The demonstration took place during the busy morning commute, with protesters aiming to disrupt traffic as much as possible.
Washington DC's Police Traffic account on X, formerly known as Twitter, reported street closures due to the demonstration, advising people to follow police directions for alternate routes.
A large police presence and barricading was seen outside Union Station, the city's main transport hub, where the group first gathered.
The protesters were believed to be marching towards the US Capitol building.
“It feels good to do it mid-rush hour, just to bother as many people as possible and to bring awareness to the cause,” said a demonstrator who identified themselves only as Ashley.
Ashley, wearing a kaffiyeh, has lost faith in US President Joe Biden's administration due to its unwavering support of Israel.
“Democrats are still just as complicit,” Ashley said. “And I think this really just showed that and they have no teeth, and they don't actually care. They say that they do, but they don't and it's just irritating.”
The US is Israel's strongest backer and has sent billions of dollars in support to the country as it continues to wage its war against Hamas in Gaza.
More than 27,000 people in the Palestinian enclave have been killed during Israeli military operations after the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel.
