Thousands of protesters against the war in Gaza swarmed outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to condemn Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress.
Pro-Palestinian activists, who promised a “day of rage” ahead of Netanyahu’s visit, marched through the streets to call for an end to U.S. aid to Israel and a “free Palestine.” Clashes broke out at times between demonstrators and law enforcement, which deployed pepper spray as parts of the crowd became “violent” and pushed up against police lines. At least 23 people were arrested across the capital, including six inside the House Gallery.
Netanyahu directly addressed the demonstrators outside the Capitol during his speech, which some members of Congress did not attend out of protest. “Many choose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists and murderers,” he said. “They should be ashamed of themselves.”
Netanyahu has become one of the world’s most controversial political figures in his relentless pursuit of Israel’s deadly military campaign in the Gaza Strip following attacks in October by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“We need to be out here. We need to say, ‘Not in our name’,” Irene Ippolito, a protester, told Al Jazeera. “As American citizens, we have to realize that this could not be taking place without our taxpayer dollars sending tons of weapons to Israel as it slaughters men, women and children in Gaza.”
Below, photos of the demonstrations and clashes in Washington on Wednesday.
![US Israel Netanyahu A protest signage against Benjamin Netanyahu is seen near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., ahead of a scheduled visit by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_signs.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Activists Demonstrate In D.C. During Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Address To Congress Pro-Palestinian activists wave the Palestinian flag during a protest near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_palestinian_flag.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![US Israel Netanyahu Capitol Police and demonstrators face off during a pro-Palestinian protest in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_face_off.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Activists Demonstrate In D.C. During Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Address To Congress Demonstrators gather on Capitol Hill on July 24, 2024 to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the United States amid Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_wide_shot_child.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Activists Demonstrate In D.C. During Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Address To Congress Activists burn an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a pro-Palestinian protest near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_effigy_burning.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![US-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-CONFLICT-PROTEST Pro-Palestinian protesters and police clash at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on July 24 during a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the U.S.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_clashes_brick-street-1.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Activists Demonstrate In D.C. During Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Address To Congress Demonstrators defaced the bell outside Union Station in protest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the U.S. amid Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza on Capitol Hill on July 24, 2024, in Washington, D.C.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_clashes_bell.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Addresses Joint Session Of Congress Demonstrators outside Union Station during a joint meeting of Congress with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_spray_paint.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![TOPSHOT-US-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-CONFLICT-PROTEST Police detain a Pro-Palestinian protester at Union Station on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_arrest_woman.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Activists Demonstrate In D.C. During Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Address To Congress An effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands out in a crowd of protesters demonstrating on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_effigy.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![APTOPIX US Israel Netanyahu Hasidic Jews and others protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_hasidic_jews.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Benjamin Netanyahu Demonstrators react after being exposed to a chemical irritant as they protest the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_demonstrators-chemical-irritants.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Addresses Joint Session Of Congress Law enforcement officers detain a protester as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint meeting of Congress in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_arrest_van.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Activists Demonstrate In D.C. During Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Address To Congress Activists cheer as they burn flags and a puppet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a pro-Palestinian protest near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_dancing.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Activists Demonstrate In D.C. During Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Address To Congress Activists burn a U.S. flag and an Israeli flag during a pro-Palestinian protest near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/dc_netanyahu_protests_israeli_flag.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
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