Dozens of anti-Israel protesters were arrested Tuesday after storming through a Senate office building and briefly causing the cafeteria to be shut down, according to Capitol Police.
The mob of demonstrators marched inside the Dirksen Senate Office Building at around 12:30 p.m. while chanting phrases such as “Senate can’t eat until Gaza eats!”
“Approximately 50 people were arrested for illegally demonstrating inside the Dirksen Senate Office Building this afternoon. It is illegal to demonstrate inside any of the Congressional Buildings,” Capitol Police told The Post.
Christians for a Free Palestine took credit for orchestrating the demonstration alongside CodePink, a self-described grassroots feminist organization notorious for causing disruptions at numerous congressional hearings.
Also on Tuesday, CodePink activists heckled and interrupted Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
During that hearing, Austin was adamant that there’s “no evidence” Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, which has been a persistent allegation peddled by anti-Israeli activists.
Based on footage of the protests near the Senate cafeteria, many of the same demonstrators appeared to crash Austin’s hearing on the fiscal year 2025 defense budget earlier in the day.
“Over 50 Christian leaders from across the US nonviolently blockaded the Senate Cafeteria to pressure the Senate and their staffers to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, restore aid to UNRWA, and end military funding to Israel,” Christians for a Free Palestine told The Post.
“They announced that they would not leave or let anyone get food in the Senate Cafeteria until nourishing food is sent to Gaza and the U.S. stops funding the bombs that have killed over 33,000 Palestinians.”
Christians for a Free Palestine estimated that roughly 55 activists, including about 30 ordained clergy, were detained by authorities when asked by The Post.
On Monday the Senate reconvened from a two-week Easter recess and the House of Representatives gaveled back into session on Tuesday.
Grassroots activists have repeatedly protested against President Biden and members of Congress over the Israel-Hamas war which began after the bloody Oct. 7, 2023 attack that killed at least 1,200 Israelis.
Biden held a confrontational call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Thursday and called for a ceasefire as well as for the Jewish State to be more supportive of sending humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Shortly afterward, Israel announced it would open up the Erez crossing to allow more aid to the Palestinians.
The call came against the backdrop of an Israeli strike that killed six aid workers with the World Central Kitchen as well as their Palestinian driver.
Biden has faced mounting pressure from his left flank to change course and take a stronger stand against Israel.
