White House staff are moved as pro-Palestinian protesters threaten to breach security fence while throwing bloody dolls, symbolizing Gaza's dead children, across the perimeter
White House staff had to be 'relocated' after thousands of pro-Palestine supporters forced their way into the building, threatening to breach the security fence and wave over bloodied dolls as part of a huge demonstration calling for a ceasefire against Gaza demanded.
Law enforcement officers defending the People's House donned riot gear as a baying mob pelted them with dolls and other projectiles.
A video taken during Saturday's event shows the metal perimeter being shaken so hard that parts of it were redirected, forcing Secret Service agents to rush to one section to prevent a breach.
The Secret Service later confirmed that the anti-limescale fence suffered “temporary damage,” which was “immediately repaired.”
The meeting is part of a global day of protest marking 100 days since the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and took hundreds of others hostage.
Thousands of pro-Palestine supporters marched to the White House on Saturday demanding a ceasefire against Gaza
The demonstration took place to mark 100 days since Hamas' attack on October 7 and the start of retaliatory attacks by Israel.
Protesters threw bloody dolls over the White House fence to symbolize the child victims of the conflict so far
The White House demonstration was the second largest pro-Palestine rally held in Washington DC since the start of the war
Since then, Israel's retaliatory bombing campaign has killed more than 23,800 people in Gaza, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.
Tonight's demonstration is the second largest in support of Gaza to be held outside the White House in Washington since the war began.
The temporary destruction caused during the meeting meant that White House staff and journalists had to be evacuated from the area.
“Out of an abundance of caution, some members of the media and staff near Pennsylvania Avenue were temporarily relocated while the matter was addressed,” the Secret Service said. Fox news.
“The Secret Service made no arrests in connection with the march and there was no property damage to the White House or adjacent buildings.”
Protesters calling for a ceasefire used emotional symbols to convey their message. At one point, women in Palestinian clothing staged a protest with bloodied dolls tied in sheets.
Nearly two-thirds of the 23,843 people killed in the conflict are women and children, according to the Health Ministry.
Protesters also carried Palestinian flags and held up signs questioning President Joe Biden's viability as a presidential candidate because of his staunch support for Israel.
Some signs read: “No votes for Genocide Joe,” “Biden has blood on his hands” and “Let Gaza live.”
At one point, the fence was shaken so violently that parts of it were pushed back as demonstrators stormed toward the White House, forcing undercover security agents to swarm to one section to prevent a breach.
The meeting took place in conjunction with other anti-war demonstrations around the world
The protest was organized by the American Muslim Task Force for Palestine and other groups
Vendors also sold South African flags as protesters chanted slogans in support of the country whose genocide allegations against Israel prompted the International Court of Justice in The Hague to hear the case.
Dan Devries, a New York resident, said he attended the protest because he wants to see a free Gaza, but that he would not vote for Biden or possible Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
“I see this war as part of the American effort to compensate for the economic decline by constantly waging war,” Devries said.
Washington resident Phil Kline held up a sign calling on Pope Francis to excommunicate Biden.
'I know he's a devout Catholic. Maybe he will take this issue seriously if the Pope deposes him Ffrom the church. There is no justification for bombing civilians,” Kline said, although he added that he still plans to vote for Biden in the November election.
The meeting was organized by the American Muslim Task Force for Palestine and other groups.
It took place alongside demonstrations in London, Paris, Rome, Dublin, Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
Relatives of Palestinians killed in the conflict, grief-stricken stories with thousands of protesters gathering in downtown Washington.
The rally came a day after the US launched a second round of attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen
The event featured emotional testimonies from people whose relatives were killed by Israel during the conflict
Biden has long expressed support for Israel, but confirmed that he has been working with the Israeli government to convince them to reduce their attacks on Gaza.
Adam Aboshirieah, one of the speakers, said more than 100 family members, including his 83-year-old father, mother and brother, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
“Dozens of bodies of my relatives are still buried under the rubble,” said Aboshirieah, a pharmacist from New Jersey. “President Biden can easily put an end to this genocide… He can easily pick up the phone and call Israel to stop this madness.”
The demonstration came a day after the US launched a second round of attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen, a move that also sparked protests in New York and Seattle.
The attack was in response to months of attacks by the Houthis on ships in the Red Sea, which they said were aimed at ending Israel's siege of Gaza.
However, the ships targeted by the Iran-backed rebels had become increasingly indiscriminate and they were warned that they would face consequences if they did not stop their attacks.
While Biden has long been a staunch supporter of Israel, he has expressed concern about civilian deaths as the war has dragged on.
He previously described Israel's bombing campaign as “indiscriminate” and said Monday that he had been working “quietly” with the Israeli government to encourage it to reduce its attacks and “significantly leave Gaza.”