USA (Washington Insider Magazine)— Police on Monday arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators for trespassing after they occupied the lobby of a San Francisco building that houses the Israeli Consulate. Police zip-tied the hands of protesters, put them in police vans, and drove them away. Officers arrested 69 people who refused to vacate the building, cited them, and released them from San Francisco County Jail, the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. Another demonstrator was cited and released at the scene for the same charge, it said.
Los Angeles City Hall Camp
In a related protest, around 50 pro-Palestinian activists set up camp outside Los Angeles City Hall on Monday night. The demonstrators, equipped with approximately 20 tents, occupied the sidewalks in front of the building between Main and First streets, displaying Palestinian flags and slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “Free Gaza.”
The Los Angeles Police Department monitored the demonstration, calling on participants to look out for one another. No arrests or injuries were reported, though police did activate a tactical alert in the area as a precaution.
Background and Context
According to Vozdeamerica, the protests occur amid rising tensions following a Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, which claimed the lives of nearly 1,200 people, and kidnapped approximately 250 hostages. In response, Israel conducted an offensive in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in considerable casualties. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the conflict has claimed the lives of 36,000 Palestinians, albeit this figure does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israel has come under increasing international condemnation for its conduct in Gaza, while it blames Hamas for civilian losses caused by the group’s operations in heavily populated areas.
