Capitol Police shut down access to the Hart Office Building in Washington, D.C., due to an "illegal" pro-Palestinian protest. According to an official statement:
Just after 10 a.m., a group of people started illegally protesting inside the Hart Senate Office Building. It is illegal to demonstrate inside the Congressional Buildings.
Officers detained several of the assembled protesters, which several media outlets such as the Washington Examiner estimated at more than 40 people. They were calling for a ceasefire in Gaza shouting slogans such as "ceasefire now" and "free Palestine":
More than 40 people were arrested for D.C. Code § 22–1307 - Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding. One person climbed a statue in the atrium. He was arrested separately for § 22–405.01 - Resisting Arrest. We will provide final numbers later today.
1) USCP: Just after 10 a.m., a group of people started illegally protesting inside the Hart Senate Office Building. It is illegal to demonstrate inside the Congressional Buildings. More than 40 people were arrested for D.C. Code § 22–1307 - Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 11, 2023
The most striking image of this protest was captured by Fox News. It shows a person perched on a black statue on the second floor of the Hart Senate Office Building, shouting "ceasefire now," only to be charged with resisting arrest.
Fox captures an anti-Israel protesters hiding in a sculpture inside the Senate building pic.twitter.com/eIUYjX58mi
— Nicole Silverio (@NicoleMSilverio) December 11, 2023
Senators speak out about pro-Palestine protest
Senator Thom Tillis was among those who shared images of the illegal protest on social media:
Anti-Israel protestors making a mess of the Senate. I’m sure they’ll change hearts and minds by making hardworking Senate custodial workers spend their entire day cleaning up the mess they created. Thank you to Capitol Police and the Senate facility staff for upholding… pic.twitter.com/LnQ4Qg9pRG
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) December 11, 2023
He was not the only one. Texas Sen. Tom Cotton also expressed his disapproval of the pro-Palestine protest. In a post on X, Cotton assured that the protesters "represent their cause well":
These crazed masked vandals represent their cause well. https://t.co/X2hcAb8QpH
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) December 11, 2023
Capitol Police closed access to the building to all visitors except Senators and their staff until further notice.
Protesters gathered in the Hart Office Building on Capitol Hill to demand Gaza ceasefire are arrested by Capitol Police pic.twitter.com/0JZwjejLIY
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 11, 2023
