Pro-Palestinian protesters smeared red paint on the White House security fence in Washington, DC on Saturday evening, with some attempting to break through the gate, as they denounced President Joe Biden for backing Israel.
Activists waved Palestinian flags and shouted obscenities directed at the president. They also violently shook the gate as security personnel looked on from the other side.
Despite the heated atmosphere, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi later told reporters that “the attempted gate trespass from earlier was handled without incident,” and no arrests were made outside the White House.
Tens of thousands marched in Washington, DC on Saturday, calling for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militants, decrying the “genocide” in Gaza.
Demonstrations in support of Palestine or Israel have taken place in many countries since the fighting began in the Middle East in early October. On Friday, US Capitol Police arrested 52 supporters of Palestine for protesting in the offices of several senators. Nearly 300 people were arrested last month for participating in a similar protest inside the rotunda of the Cannon Office Building in DC.
The fighting erupted after Hamas and allied Palestinian militant groups attacked Israel, killing some 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza and has since launched a ground operation in the Palestinian enclave.
Over 9,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the local authorities. The UN and rights groups are warning about the dire humanitarian situation in the enclave caused by the Israeli blockade and bombardment.