U.S. Capitol Police officers detain demonstrators protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)U.S. Capitol Police officers detain demonstrators protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)A demonstrator is detained by U.S. Capitol Police during a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)Demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, chant and hold banners during a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)Demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)Demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, stand near a broadcast journalist's camera station during a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)Demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, are detained by U.S. Capitol Police during a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)U.S. Capitol Police watch as people protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)U.S. Capitol Police officers detain demonstrators protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)A person in a prayer shawl sings as demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)Demonstrators outside of the Capitol rally to support people protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)U.S. Capitol Police officers detain demonstrators protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)Demonstrators are detained by U.S. Capitol Police following a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)Demonstrators protest inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)Demonstrators protest inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)U.S. Capitol Police officers detain demonstrators protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)U.S. Capitol Police officers detain demonstrators protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)Demonstrators protest inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)Demonstrators protest inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
U.S. Capitol Police officers detain demonstrators protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
WASHINGTON – More than 300 people were arrested for illegally demonstrating and three people were charged with assaulting police after protesters descended on Capitol Hill to call for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
Hundreds of demonstrators from Jewish advocacy groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now, poured into a congressional office building on Wednesday. They wore shirts that read “Jews say cease fire now” and they chanted “let Gaza live” and “not in my name" before they were detained by Capitol Police.
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Demonstrations are not allowed inside Capitol buildings, and police said they warned the crowd gathered in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building to stop before they began making the arrests.
The 305 people arrested for illegally demonstrating were subsequently released and those charged with assault were held in custody pending an appearance before a judge.
A few liberal members of Congress have been pushing for a resolution in the latest Hamas-Israel war, saying that Israeli bombardment of civilians in Gaza is leading to a humanitarian crisis.
The protesters were never in the U.S. Capitol, as some falsely stated on social media.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
