About eight months after Israel’s war in Gaza started, a massive crowd of pro-Hamas protesters descended upon the White House, blasting Joe Biden’s administration’s support for the Jewish state. The demonstration was held by as estimated 30,000 pro-Palestinian protesters, who began arriving outside the Executive Mansion around noon on Saturday, June 8.
The massive protest
A “two-mile long” red banner was unveiled by members of the Answer Coalition, one of the activist groups that participated in the protest. The banner was a reference to the “red line” they believe Biden has let Israel blow past when it invaded Rafah.
A video of the unveiling of the banner was posted to X by the group, with the caption, “Over 75,000 are in DC, and the White House is now completely encircled by #ThePeoplesRedLine! This two-mile long banner lists the over 40,000 Palestinians martyred by Israel since Oct. 7.”
Answer Coalition says on its website, ““Biden can’t draw the line, but we can. On June 8, we will come together from across the country and surround the White House. Wearing red, and raising our demands high, we will show the world that we are the red line.”
It adds, “We demand an immediate cease-fire, an immediate end to the siege on Gaza, the freedom of all Palestinian prisoners and an end to the occupation of Palestine.”
Another video that surfaced on X shows smoke bomb flares being ignited by some of the protesters, and then being thrown in the White House lawn.
One post shows the Andrew Jackson statue outside the White House being defaced with the phrases “Free Gaza” and “Boycott Israel Products.”
In the days following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel last year, fencing was erected around the compound of the White House as it was anticipated that such protests may take place. While a barrier already surrounded the grounds, the new fence constructed is a second line of defence.
“In preparation for the events this weekend in Washington, DC, that have the potential for large crowds to gather, additional public safety measures including anti-scale fencing have been put in place near the White House complex,” a Secret Service spokesman told The Hill.
