Participants brought their various foods, while the organizers provided drinks and dates (Al Jazeera)
Washington -
More than 150 people broke their fast outside the walls of the White House and ate breakfast together, in a new form of protest to draw attention to the continued American support for the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The protesters, led by the activist of Syrian-Palestinian origin, Hazami Barmada, occupied one of the sidewalks in the middle of Lafayette Park facing the White House, where each participant brought his breakfast food, and they all shared in eating, while the organizers provided drinks and dates.
The invitation - whose recipients were asked not to publish it - stated that they should be prepared to sit on the floor and not on chairs, like the people and residents of the Gaza Strip, as their permit includes a gathering of a maximum of 150 people. The organizers of these events obtain all the required government permits, and ensure that their activities are compatible. Comply with local regulations.
Activist Hizami Barmada spoke about what the children and residents of Gaza are suffering from aggression, starvation, and genocidal war (Al Jazeera)
A striking sight
When the clock reached 7:35 minutes, one of those present called for the evening prayer, then a number of Muslim participants performed the evening prayer in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue, which was closed to traffic, with the White House behind them, while a number of White House police gathered at a distance from them.
Everyone sat in an organized manner on the floor and ate breakfast together. The scene was attractive to hundreds of tourists who arrived in the sunset hours to photograph in front of the walls of the White House. Talk about this scene brought together many tourists from outside Washington and the participants who informed them of the goal of organizing this event. Before the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Brian, an American who sympathizes with the Palestinian right, told Al Jazeera Net, “I ate Ramadan breakfast with the protesters in front of the home of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Virginia, and I also ate breakfast with the protesters in front of the Israeli embassy building in the Van Ness area of Washington, and today I am eating my third Ramadan breakfast here in front of "The White House so that the voice of our protest reaches directly to President Joe Biden, who is behind these walls."
Side political conversations brought together the attendees, who reiterated that the Biden administration complicit, and is still complicit, in the killing of at least 33,000 Palestinians, and the injury of at least 100,000 others, while supporting Israel with the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Some participants gathered and performed the Maghrib prayer in front of the White House (Al Jazeera)
Demands for change
Despite the change in American rhetoric, and President Biden’s call on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the fighting, most participants agreed that “no change has yet occurred on the ground, and it seems that this will not happen until the Biden administration takes serious and practical steps to pressure the government.” "Israeli".
Activist Hazami spoke to the audience, explaining what the residents of Gaza, especially children and women, are suffering in light of the genocide that Israel is committing in the Gaza Strip, in the eyes and support of the administration of President Joe Biden. She said, “We are here eating our breakfast outside the White House, which does not want us to be here.” She added, "We must work hard to shed light on popular anger regarding what is happening in Gaza."
One of the participants told Al Jazeera Net, "I am Lebanese, and I came today to share breakfast with the rest of the protesters, and my goal is to highlight the extent of the suffering known and experienced by the victims of the Israeli aggression, including children, women, men, and the elderly of Gaza."
An American woman of Asian descent told Al Jazeera Net, "I am here to participate and express my anger at what our government is doing by supporting Israel in its aggression against civilians in Gaza. I voted for Biden in 2020, but I will abstain from voting for him next November."
After finishing breakfast, many participants waved Palestinian flags and gathered to chant against President Biden and his positions. The protesters repeated slogans demanding “ceasefire now,” and repeated, “Let Gaza live,” and that “Joe Biden is committing genocide.”
By 8:30 p.m., the cleaning process began, as every area occupied and eaten in was cleaned, and the night ended with many attendees gathering to take group photos.
Source: Al Jazeera