Citizens Mobilize

Americans Demand Justice and Exercise Their Dissent

Story and Photos by Kerem Gençer | July 24th, 2024

On July 24th, thousands of protestors from across the country descended on Capitol Hill to call for the People’s Arrest of Netanyahu and protest the ongoing military support of Israel’s illegal occupation and genocide. The Israeli Prime Minister, at the invitation of House Speaker Mike Johnson, addressed a joint session of Congress of which 96 lawmakers boycotted in a bi-partisan show of defiance at the soon-to-be internationally recognized war criminal. Outside, effigies of Netanyahu burned in the streets of DC, and one of the largest disruptions to the nation’s capital since the January 6th insurrection took place. Federal employees, presidential candidates, and students from coast to coast traveled on a Wednesday to have their voices heard.

Jessica Femenias, a Fulbright Scholar and recent graduate of Stanford University, took the overnight Amtrak from NYC to join the protest in Washington DC. Femenias was recently in the Dominican Republic analyzing Haitian migrant labor in rural regions of the Caribbean nation. She plans on pursuing a graduate program in Critical Theory.

Banners, burning effigies, and placards calling for the Arrest of Netanyahu flooded Pennsylvania & Constitution Avenues outside of Capitol Hill.

Reed Granger, an aspiring photojournalist and Vice President of the Syracuse University student government, looks for her shot from the press platform. Granger had attempted to join the Gaza encampments on campus earlier this year, as an activist, but was challenged by organizers due to her involvement with the student government body and association with the university’s administration. She said she was here strictly in a journalistic capacity but sympathized with the message of the political action taking place.

Jessica is a member of Fulbrighters for Justice in Palestine. FJP is a global alliance of Fulbright grantees, mobilizing for the liberation of Palestinian life and land.

Kate (center of frame) is studying education at Boston University and traveled to DC with the Boston PSL group. As an opponent to the US military’s foreign policy on Gaza, Kate believes education and public assembly to voice dissent are tools that will help shift the country’s involvement in what has been ruled an illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories by the ICJ. Kate is originally from Seattle.

Green Party presidential candidate, Jill Stein, addresses the crowd gathered in front of Capitol Hill. She is running on a pro-worker, anti-war, and climate action platform in the 2024 presidential race.

Michael is a member of the American Postal Worker Union. The APWU, along with other unions representing some 6 million people across the United States, signed a letter calling for a stop on military aid to Israel. After talking with colleagues and being “behind Palestinian liberation” for the last 10 months, Michael decided he needed to be in the Capital for the day’s political action.

USCP officer Vinicius Gambeta quickly adorns his gas-mask moments before chemical agents and a flash bang are deployed on protestors.

Michael confronts NYPD and USCP officers after they release chemical agents and a flash bang on protesters who had crowded the police line on Constitution Ave. Michael is a NYC resident and works in Branch 36, serving Manhattan and the Bronx.

NYPD officers were shuttled in with consideration for their experience in crowd control. This officer was taunting protesters who were expressing their anger after being pepper sprayed at close range.

Organizers of the protest seek refuge after being pepper sprayed.

Outside of Union Station an activist finds peace in meditation as columns of police and protestors trail through the surrounding roadways.