Police, Protesters Clash Outside DNC Headquarters

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Facts

  • Protesters and police clashed on Wednesday night at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in Washington, DC during a Pro-Palestine demonstration.1
  • After protesters — who were calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — linked arms and sang in the DNC building’s entrance, US Capitol Police officers in riot gear removed them while also using pepper spray and projectiles containing chemical irritants to disperse the crowd.2
  • A police statement reported that, out of approximately 150 protestors, just one was arrested for assaulting an officer. In total, six officers were injured in the incident.3
  • Meanwhile, demonstration organizers disputed police claims that the protesters were violent. They also reported that at least 100 demonstrators had suffered injuries.4
  • Many protesters were part of the If Not Now and Jewish Voice for Peace groups, who have organized numerous protests in DC since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.5
  • About 10 party members — including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark — were inside the building during the protests before police evacuated them.6

Sources: 1Associated Press, 2Reuters, 3Forbes, 4Washington Post, 5FOX News and 6CNN.

Narratives

  • Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Townhall. If these Pro-Palestinian protesters expected to be able to cause bedlam near a building where US legislators were gathered without having to answer to police, they were mistaken. This protest was illegal, their blocking of an entrance was dangerous, and police responded appropriately — especially considering they didn’t know how extreme the behavior of protesters might become.
  • Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by The Guardian. These demonstrators are pro-peace and have the right to call for ceasefire. They were following the long-effective American tradition of non-violence that dates back at least as far as the civil rights movement. An overaggressive response by the police, and disinformation spread by legislators, might be a sign that those in authority are trying to quash the protesters’ point of view, which is growing in popularity.

Predictions