Pro-Palestinian protestors gathered at the White House on Saturday in protest of President Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“RIGHT NOW at the White House: #ThePeoplesRedLine is being formed!” a Saturday post from the Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) Coalition on the social platform X reads.
“Stretching for two miles, this massive red banner symbolizes the people’s determination to put an end to the U.S.-Israeli genocide in Gaza! If Biden won’t draw the red line, we will!”
The post from the ANSWER Coalition also features a video of a large group of people in a line outside the White House appearing to be holding long stretches of red cloth.
A post from activist group the Palestinian Youth Movement on Instagram less than a week ago discussed “SURROUNDING THE WHITE HOUSE ON SATURDAY, JUNE 8th.”
“A month ago, Biden said that the invasion of Rafah was a red line,” the post reads. “But now, the invasion of Rafah has continued for weeks, has expanded to the entire Gaza Strip, Biden’s red line is nowhere to be seen. Instead of following through and stopping military aid to Israel, Biden has authorized billions more in weapons shipments to be used to kill and massacre Palestinians.”
The post later says that the president “still refuses to take the step that would force the Israeli regime to accept it — cut off the flow of US-made weapons that makes the genocide possible.”
“Biden hasn’t drawn the line, but we can,” the post said. “On June 8, we will come together from across the country and surround the White House. Wearing red, and raising our demands high, we will show the world that we are the red line. We demand an immediate ceasefire, an immediate end to the siege on Gaza, the freedom of all Palestinian prisoners, and an end to the occupation of Palestine.”
Posts on Saturday from the Palestinian Youth Movement appeared to show protestors taking the actions described in the earlier post around the White House.
Video posted to X Saturday appeared to show U.S. Park Police clashing with protestors near the White House.
The National Parks Service said in a statement to The Hill that there was graffiti, damage to certain structures and park infrastructure in Lafayette Park following demonstrations. The service said its staff are “evaluating the extent of the damage from yesterday’s demonstration and march around the White House.”
The Hill has reached out to the U.S. Park Police and the White House.
Updated at 4:15 pm on June 9.