Scores of pro-Palestinian demonstrators took over the rotunda in the Cannon House Office building on Tuesday, the day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address Congress.
Video footage of the protest showed demonstrators wearing shirts that read "Stop Arming Israel" and "Not in Our Name." Banners were also displayed, reading "Jews say: stop the genocide," and "Let Gaza Live."
Some of the protesters became aggressive during the occupation, and attempted to barge into the offices of House members, including the office of Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan, according to Fox News.
"Hundreds of protesters outside the office became disruptive, violently beating on the office doors, shouting loudly, and attempting to force entry into the office," Kildee’s chief of staff told the outlet. "U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) and Sergeant at Arms responded immediately to the incident."
Approximately 200 protesters were arrested over the incident, according to USCP, for "crowding, obstructing, or incommoding" inside of the Cannon office building, which is illegal.
"We are arresting a group that is illegally demonstrating inside the Cannon Rotunda. Demonstrations are not allowed inside the Congressional Buildings," USCP said in a post to X. "We told the people, who legally entered, to stop or they would be arrested. They did not stop, so we are arresting them."
The department said that as of Tuesday afternoon the rotunda was cleared of all demonstrators.
Capitol Police are currently preparing for thousands of protesters to gather outside of the Capitol complex in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, to protest the Israeli's leader speech.
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