U.S. Capitol Police said they arrested one person after physically clashing with protesters at a pro-Palestinian rally Wednesday night in Southeast D.C.
The protesters had gathered outside of the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) just south of the Capitol before several dozen demonstrators got into a shoving match with officers, authorities said.
Six Capitol officers suffered minor injuries, according to a spokesperson for Capitol police. The officers were treated for minor cuts, being punched and "being pepper sprayed," the agency said Thursday.
The department also confirmed that a 24-year-old from New York was arrested and charged with assault on an officer.
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According to Capitol Police, an officer witnessed the suspect "slam another officer into a garage door and then punch the female officer in the face."
Scores of Democratic representatives and candidates, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, were inside the building for a campaign reception when it was interrupted by chanting outside. Protesters said they wanted to block entrances and exits to force politicians to encounter their candlelight vigil and their calls for an end to the fighting. Many of them wore black shirts saying “Cease Fire Now.”
“Right now our officers are working to keep back approximately 150 people who are illegally and violently protesting in the area of Canal Street and Ivy Street, SE,” police said in a post on X at 8:30 p.m. In an updated statement Thursday, Capitol Police said the group "was not peaceful" and didn't obey orders to move away from the DNC building.
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Capitol Police said the demonstrators "moved dumpsters in front of the exits, pepper sprayed our officers and attempted to pick up the bike rack."
But protesters blamed police for the violence, saying officers rushed them without warning.
“It's unacceptable. Peaceful anti-war protesters laid out candles to represent all those lives lost so tragically, and the police here escalated violently against peaceful protesters,” said Rabbi Jessica Rosenburg, an organizer with Rabbis for Ceasefire who recently interrupted President Joe Biden's speech at a fundraiser in Minneapolis.
The officers used pepper spray on some protesters and pushed the group back to about a block away from the DNC, police said.
“It is shameful the way that nonviolent protesters and members of our community were met with violence tonight," said Dani Noble, who came from Philadelphia for the demonstration. "It is absolutely shameful.”
Noble said police, some of whom were wearing riot gear, started “pulling on folks that are disabled or have, have chronic illnesses, pulling people to the ground.”
Members of the DNC were evacuated, and Capitol police asked people to avoid the area.
In a statement on X, Illinois Rep. Sean Casten said he was evacuated from the building by authorities and urged protesters not to do anything "irresponsible."
"You have the Constitutional right to peaceably assemble and protest. But blocking all entries to a building with multiple members of Congress in it, protected by Capitol Police officers who have lived through January 6 is putting you and other innocent people at risk," he said. "We were rescued by armed officers who did not know the protestors’ intent; they knew only that Members of Congress were inside, could not leave and that protestors would not let police through. Forcing police to guess intent is irresponsible and dangerous."
Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat, said he was evacuated from the building by police after protesters began “pepper spraying police officers and attempting to break into the building,” the Associated Press reported.
Video of the scene showed Capitol police officers mounted on bikes and later in riot gear as they clashed with demonstrators.
The groups Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now were among the participants. The groups shared photos and videos on X of people at a candlelight vigil outside DNC headquarters to mourn those killed since the start of the war. They also posted images of protesters blocking the entrance to the building and their confrontation with police.
A major police presence remained at 10:30 p.m., but the crowd had dispersed.
The Metropolitan Police Department said its officers also responded to the disturbance. Congressional staffers received an alert telling them no one would be permitted to enter or exit any House office buildings, but authorities later reopened the entrances.
South Capitol Street between Canal and E streets SE and Ivy Street between Canal Street and New Jersey Avenue SE were closed. By Thursday morning, no protesters or police could be seen.
It was unclear if a particular event was taking place inside the DNC building at the time of the protest.
"We're monitoring the situation outside the DNC and are in touch with USCP and Metro Police, who are directing the security response," a DNC spokesperson said.
This is a developing story. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
