About 50 arrested protesting weapons to Israel at the Senate today

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By Iman Abid, Organizing & Advocacy Director

This morning, I joined 100+ protesters in shutting down the Senate atrium for Palestine—a powerful demonstration endorsed by USCPR and partner organizations.

We took action today as the Senate debates President Biden’s $106 billion supplemental spending package. That includes dollars for death such as:

  • Another $14 BILLION in weapons to Israel to kill Palestinians
  • $8 BILLION to jail, surveil, and deport immigrants while militarizing our borders.

Together, we poured in to the atrium to sing, “Ceasefire now!” with our protest signs and brown bags of money painted blood-red.

We raise our voices loud and put our bodies in the way to say NO to genocide.

We dropped a banner reading, “THE PEOPLE CHOOSE LIFE.” One protester climbed the 51-foot sculpture to shout out our demands, “Ceasefire now! Money for children! Money for hospitals! Stop weapons manufacturers!”

Capitol Police shamefully arrested 49 of us protesting, which included nurses, teachers, students, veterans, and immigrant justice groups. We will NOT be silenced!

Let’s keep fighting with all our strength to stop this genocide.

Join the Global Strike for Gaza called for by Palestinian journalists—NO WORK, NO SCHOOL, NO SHOPPING. It’s both TODAY AND AGAIN TOMORROW, Monday & Tuesday Dec. 11-12.

Send the U.S. government a message that there will be no business as usual during genocide. Download a graphic to share here.

Next, make sure the phones in Congress are ringing off the hook for Palestine. Will you pick up the phone and call Congress right now? 

Tell them you’re joining the strike. Tell them to demand a permanent ceasefire now. Tell them to stop arming Israel.

When our communities ask for resources that actually contribute to our safety and stability, we’re told the money isn’t there. Yet when it comes to violence, the resources are limitless.

Let’s raise the question: What could $14 BILLION in weapons to Israel fund instead?
🏥 Health care for 4.8 million children

What could $8 BILLION in border militarization, surveillance, and deportation fund instead?
🏠 Public housing for over 830,000 families

Learn more on our U.S. Military Funding to Israel Map, and share this resource.

The people choose life. Refuse to let the U.S. government use your tax dollars for death.

P.S. Our next USCPR Power Hour will be this Friday, Dec. 15, at 2 PM ET! Register now to join our Zoom call and take action with us live.