Activists began their campout on January 26 amid an escalating wave of protest directed at the Biden administration.
Demonstrators set up camp across the street from Secretary of State Antony Blinken's home in Virginia as protests demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip continue into a seventh day on February 1, 2024.If the bags under U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s eyes have looked heavier than usual recently, it might have something to do with the wake-up brigade camped outside his
In a protest action that received national media attention, Barmada was the lead organizer for a group that interrupted President Joe Biden’s campaign speech over ten times in Manassas, Virginia, at George Mason University on January 23, staggering their interventions so that when one protester was kicked out, another could interrupt again. They also scripted their remarks in advance “to ground the conversation back on Gaza and on the event,” according to Barmada.
On the morning of Thursday, February 1, activists from the local DMV chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement , led a protest locking arms to block vehicle traffic on five major road intersections around the city near key government buildings. While PYM branches in other major cities in the U.S., like New York, have used similar tactics, Thursday’s protest was the first time it was done in D.C.
Shoop said that the vast disconnect between officials supporting the war and polling that shows large numbers of Americans support a ceasefire demands vigorous protest tactics. “At our intersection, we had all non-Palestinian .
But so far, authorities haven’t moved to disperse the group. Barmada chalks that up partly to police telling them that they are the nicest group of protesters they have dealt with, but also that it might look like a public relations disaster to clear out peaceful protesters.sought comment from the State Department on the protesters but did not receive a response.
“I didn’t know any Palestinians, I didn’t know any Arab people…but once October 7 happened, people started talking about it, I stayed quiet for about two weeks because I have Jewish friends…but once I allowed myself to pick up a history book, as people were telling us , I was like what the hell? How did this get past me?” Seiler told. “I am out here giving them my support as much as I can because I need to make up.