Thousands expected to march in DC in support of Palestine
Thousands of people are expected to take part in a march in support of Palestine on Saturday afternoon in D.C.’s Freedom Plaza.
Up to 30,000 people are expected to flood the streets of the District during the “National March on Washington: Free Palestine!” rally organized by the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition.
The purposes of the rally and march, according to the coalition, are to demand a cease-fire in the war, end federal aid to Israel and “end apartheid.”
The “End the Siege in Gaza” rally will be from 2 to 4 p.m., then the march will begin, with demonstrators looping around the White House.
WUSA9 reports that the coalition’s city permit outlines how marchers will leave Freedom Plaza, travelling north on 14th Street, then west on K Street to 17th Street and south on 17th Street to the White House, where they will demonstrate on a closed portion of Pennsylvania Avenue. The march route then continues to 15th Street, traveling south and looping back to the initial starting point.
Organizers said there will also be a vigil from 4 to 8 p.m. at Lafayette Park and picketing on the White House sidewalk. The event is expected to end around 9 p.m.
“Now is the time to stand with the besieged people of Palestine! Gaza is being bombed by the hour. Its people are denied food, water and electricity by Israel. Tens of thousands more people are likely to die. We must ACT!” the coalition wrote on their website.
The war kicked off on Oct. 7 when Hamas unleashed a barrage of militant foot soldiers on hundreds of civilians in southern Israel. Since those attacks, Israel has launched counterattacks onto the Gaza strip with airstrikes that have caused considerable destruction to buildings and neighborhoods.
As a result, over 9,000 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and in the West Bank, The Associated Press reported.
Solidarity demonstrations are also gathering this weekend across the country in major cities including Nashville, Los Angeles, New York City and Portland.
On Friday, 56 people were arrested during the Israel-Gaza protests at multiple congressional offices and were charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding.
At the moment, D.C. police says there are no street closures expected for Saturday’s demonstration, but stick with WTOP for the latest traffic news.
The Associated Press and WTOP’s Ciara Wells contributed to this story.