Thousands of protesters gathered near the White House, voicing their anger at President Joe Biden's perceived tolerance of Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
The demonstrators, who chanted "From DC to Palestine, we are the red line," held a long banner with the names of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces during the conflict, which has been ongoing for nine months.
Biden has faced criticism for his balanced approach towards Israel's actions, and in May, the White House stated that a deadly Israeli strike on Rafah did not cross a "red line" that Biden had previously mentioned regarding a potential invasion of the city.
Protesters, mostly wearing red clothing and waving Palestinian flags, rallied near the White House on June 8, 2024, expressing their disappointment and anger towards President
Joe Biden over his handling of Israel's actions in Gaza.
Zaid Mahdawi, a 25-year-old protester from Virginia with Palestinian parents, criticized Biden's use of the term "red line" as hollow and hypocritical.
Tala McKinney, another protester and nursing assistant, shared similar sentiments, expressing her hope for an end to the conflict but feeling let down by Biden's failure to live up to his words.
The protesters held signs accusing Biden of lying about his red line and condemning the bombing of children as not self-defense.
The White House increased security with a new fence for a demonstration where buses brought in protesters from distant states.
President Biden is under pressure to keep Muslim and young voters for his reelection, and some are considering third-party options due to disappointment with his word.