A crowd of nearly 30,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the White House on Saturday to protest Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza, marking eight months since the conflict began. The demonstrators, including members of the Answer Coalition, an activist group participating in the event, demanded an immediate cease-fire, an end to the siege on Gaza, the release of all Palestinian prisoners and the termination of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The Answer Coalition unveiled a striking “two-mile long” red banner, symbolizing what they claim is the “red line” that President Joe Biden allowed Israel to cross during its invasion of Rafah. According to the group’s post on X, the banner lists the names of more than 40,000 Palestinians who have lost their lives since the conflict began on October 7.
Social media posts captured footage of protesters igniting smoke bomb flares and tossing them onto the White House lawn, while the Andrew Jackson statue outside the Executive Mansion was vandalized with the phrases “Free Gaza” and “Boycott Israel Products.” In anticipation of the demonstration, which has a history of turning violent, authorities erected additional fencing around the White House as a second line of defense.
As the conflict continues to claim lives and fuel tensions in the region, critics of the Biden administration and other supporters of Israel have been vocal in their opposition to the war, demanding its immediate cessation. The upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago is also expected to draw a significant number of Hamas supporters, further highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict.
