House staffers are going to gather on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon to protest the chamber’s override vote of President Joe Biden’s halting of a shipment of arms to Israel.
They’re also being told to cover their faces with masks and to “remove identifiable clothing” in fear they will be identified. Staff are being encouraged to hide their staff IDs as well.
An anonymous organizer with the “M” moniker told the Washington Examiner why protesters were protecting their identities.
“We understand there is an inherent risk in speaking out, which is why we are encouraging staff to remove identifiable clothing and wear masks to protect their identities as best they can,” they said.
“We know the fear of identification and retaliation has led some staffers to reconsider their ability to participate, but we hope and expect a good number to show anyway in a display of bravery in standing up to our bosses who continue to ignore the will of their constituents each and every day.”
The protest is being organized by “Congressional staff for a Ceasefire Now,” a group that has previously had its members demonstrate and describes themselves as having “150+” members who are staffers.
“Today, we are once again gathered as congressional staff because too many of our bosses have failed to act,” a statement said. “The American people are calling their Members of Congress every day to demand the United States take steps to stop Israel’s assault on Gaza and lead with the moral clarity that saves lives. We are the staffers taking their calls.”
“We have answered hundreds of thousands of messages from constituents demanding an immediate ceasefire, a surge of humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages,” the statement added. “Instead, disclosures indicate the Biden administration is sending an additional $1 billion of weapons to Israel and has yet to commit to a meaningful freeze on future weapons transfers despite acknowledging just last week that U.S. weapons are likely being used to commit war crimes.”
The group has a “protest safety tips” section which includes many pieces of information for how staffers can hide their identity like hiding tattoos, wearing shoes and clothes they don’t normally wear, and turning off identifying phone settings.
“After fueling this war with billions of taxpayer dollars in weapons for Israel, Members of Congress are about to hold a vote to override the Biden administration’s meager steps toward civilian protection. As over one million Palestinian civilians await a brutal invasion of Rafah, as Gazan children starve from a man-made famine, and as over 100 unaccounted-for Israeli hostages may be in the line of fire, we are calling on President Biden and Congress to listen to their constituents as we have and immediately end U.S. support for Israel’s assault on the civilians of Gaza before it is too late.”
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Other pro-Palestinian protesters have tried to hide their identities with masks and other methods in the past, including in the nationwide college campus protests.
The rally is scheduled to start at 4:10 p.m. at the “base of the House steps.”
