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Hundreds Arrested on Capitol Hill at Jewish-Led Protests Against Gaza War 

HeadlineOct 19, 2023

On Capitol Hill, police arrested at least 300 activists Wednesday as they held a nonviolent sit-in protest in the congressional Cannon Rotunda to demand lawmakers press for a ceasefire in Gaza. The arrests came as thousands of people rallied on the National Mall for a demonstration organized by the groups IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace. Organizers called it the largest-ever protest of Jews in support of Palestinians. Among those addressing the crowd was award-winning author Naomi Klein.

Naomi Klein: “Friends, these are the darkest days that I have ever experienced. The Israeli government, with the full support of every Western power in the world, announced an intent to commit genocide, using Jewish fears of another genocide as the excuse. And now it is in the process of making good on that threat. That is what we must stop. That is what we are here to stop. That is what we will stop. There are so many more lives to save.”

Later in the broadcast, we’ll hear more voices from the Jewish Voice for Peace rally in D.C. We’ll speak with the Israeli journalist Amira Hass, among those who were covering the rally.

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