Police deployed pepper spray toward a large crowd marching to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in protest of the war in Gaza as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech to a joint session of Congress.
U.S. Capitol Police said part of the crowd on First Street and Constitution Avenue became “violent” and “failed to obey” orders to move back from the police line.
“We are deploying pepper spray towards anyone trying to break the law and cross that line,” Capitol Police said on X.
Not long after, Capitol Police said six people were removed from the House Gallery and arrested after they disrupted Netanyahu’s address.
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Over a thousand protesters descended on Washington in the days ahead of Netanyahu’s planned address while officers with the New York Police Department joined forces with Capitol Police to help bolster security for the event.
Capitol Police said they arrested about 200 people on Tuesday for demonstrating inside the Cannon Rotunda, which is illegal.
On Wednesday, protesters carrying signs stating “arrest Netanyahu” and “stop arming Israel” attempted to block the prime minister’s route to the Capitol building before police were able to clear the streets.
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Meanwhile, Netanyahu said “America and Israel must stand together” during his address, hoping to bolster support for his country as it continues to fight Hamas and other groups in the Middle East. He also criticized the protesters, calling them “Iran’s useful idiots.”
More than 50 congressional Democrats were noticeably absent from attending the prime minister’s speech to protest his handling of the war.
