Protesters slam Biden at pro-Palestinian march in Washington

Thousands gathered in the heart of the US capital on Saturday, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza amidst relentless Israeli airstrikes. Protesters voiced staunch opposition to President Joe Biden’s unwavering support for Israel, labeling it as the focal point of the demonstration.

The rally marked the most substantial protest in Washington since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, with participants waving Palestinian flags and donning traditional keffiyeh scarves. Chants of ‘Free, free Palestine’ and ‘End the siege on Gaza now’ echoed throughout the crowd.

However, the dissent was not solely directed at the conflict; it also took aim at the US President. Slogans such as ‘Biden, Biden you can’t hide, you signed off on genocide’ and ‘We say no, Genocide Joe’ reverberated among the demonstrators.

Amanda Eisenhour, a 24-year-old protester from Virginia, expressed outrage, stating, ‘It is unacceptable to witness the loss of so many innocent lives, and we cannot perceive this as a proportional conflict.’ She denounced the situation as ‘a massacre, a genocide, a stain on our history,’ emphasizing her refusal to condone her tax dollars funding such actions.

Jasmine Iman, 25, traveled from New York to voice her discontent with Biden’s unwavering support for Israel. ‘We will not vote for the Democratic Party. We will ensure that everyone we know refrains from voting for the Democratic Party because of Gaza,’ she declared, highlighting her stance on next year’s presidential election.

Biden, poised for a potential reelection bid, faces growing discontent, with protesters expressing a willingness to disengage from the electoral process if faced with a choice between the current President and former President Donald Trump.

Amid this political uproar, the conflict in Gaza entered its 29th day, characterized by intense fighting and casualties on both sides. According to Israeli sources, over 1,400 people, predominantly civilians, have lost their lives since the conflict began, with an additional 240 individuals reported as abducted by Hamas militants.

Gaza’s health ministry reported a death toll of 9,488 people, with around two-thirds being women and children, as Israel continues its relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip and deployment of ground troops.”