Protesters storm lobby of Trump transition team building (VIDEO)
A group of protesters stormed the lobby of the Washington DC building where President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is preparing for the start of his presidential term.
#firebannon protest at @USGSA#trump transition offices with @IfNotNowOrg#jewishresistance#dc#dcprotestpic.twitter.com/iY36BWPRrT
— 😳 (@KendrasPersonal) November 17, 2016
Photos and videos have emerged of activists gathered inside and outside the General Services Administration (GSA) building in a protest organized by the American Jewish activist group IfNotNow.
There is no place for antisemitism, racism and white nationalism in the White House. This is the #JewishResistance#FireBannonpic.twitter.com/ROiS0nJLbc
— IfNotNow (@IfNotNowOrg) November 17, 2016
Protesters take over the GSA building lobby, where Trump's transition office is located pic.twitter.com/ugZrK4njbK
— Rachel Roberts (@rachelhinda) November 17, 2016
The demonstrators are calling for Trump’s White House Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon to be sacked. Bannon is the chief executive of Breitbart New and has been accused of racism and anti-Semitism by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League.
Members of the group are holding banners stating “Fire Bannon” and “Jewish Resistance” and are sharing images from the protest under the same hashtags.
READ MORE: Bannon backlash: Outrage mounts over Trump’s ‘chief strategist’ pick
— 😳 (@KendrasPersonal) 17 November 2016
.@IfNotNowOrg INSIDE the GSA building where Trump Transition office is, saying #FIREBANNON#JEWISHRESISTANCEpic.twitter.com/kHlValllle
— sam r jewler (@samrjewler) November 17, 2016
The organization, which supports an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and calls for freedom and dignity of all Israelis and Palestinians, says there is “no place for antisemitism, racism and white nationalism in the White House.”
After being escorted out of the GSA building by security, the protesters dispersed around 10:30am local time (15:30 GMT).
Young Jewish activists with @IfNotNowOrg outside Trump's transition headquarters right now pic.twitter.com/u2DbbNZjME
— Kira Lerner (@kira_lerner) November 17, 2016
Earlier the group demonstrated outside the office of the Jewish Federation of North America, calling on them to speak out against Bannon’s appointment.
The Jewish resistance is out bright and early in front of @jfederationspic.twitter.com/av1EYc6DCX
— Rachel Roberts (@rachelhinda) November 17, 2016
Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who heads the transition team, was not in the GSA building at the time, having left for Capitol Hill to meet with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin).
Young Jews call on @jfederations, who sent a shameful, congratulatory note to Trump, to #FireBannon, a white nationalist pic.twitter.com/916YZcofRK
— Alexis Goldstein (@alexisgoldstein) November 17, 2016