Gaza solidarity protesters slam Biden in "red line" rally at White House
Washington DC - Thousands of Gaza solidarity protesters held a "red line" rally near the White House on Saturday, voicing anger at President Joe Biden's support for Israel's bloody assault on the occupied Palestinian territory.
Chanting "From DC to Palestine, we are the red line," the demonstrators held a long banner marked with the names of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, as the siege enters its ninth month.
Biden has faced criticism for continuing to fund Israel's military in spite of its massacres of the Palestinian people.
The White House said in May that a deadly Israeli strike on Rafah did not cross a "red line" that Biden had seemingly set two months earlier when asked about a potential invasion of the southern Gazan city.
"I no longer believe any of the words that Joe Biden says," said protester 25-year-old Zaid Mahdawi from Virginia, whose parents are Palestinian.
"This 'red line' in his rhetoric is rubbish... it shows his hypocrisy and his cowardice," Mahdawi told AFP.
Biden faces mounting public pressure
Nursing assistant Tala McKinney (25) said: "I think we all hope it's going to stop soon but clearly our president is not living up to the words he is speaking to our country. It's outrageous."
The protesters – almost all wearing red clothing – held Palestinian flags and signs saying "Biden's red line was a lie" and "Bombing children is not self-defense."
The White House stepped up security with an additional anti-scale perimeter fence ahead of the demonstration, which saw chartered buses ferrying in people from as far afield as Maine and Florida.
Five months from his election battle with Republican candidate Donald Trump, Biden is facing pressure to hang onto Muslim and young voters, blocs seen as crucial to his reelection bid.
"It's very disappointing to have a president who doesn't follow through with their word... I will be voting for a third party," said McKinney.
Cover photo: REUTERS