Demand for ceasefire in Gaza echoes through DC at Union Station rally

WASHINGTON - While the war rages on in Gaza, another pro-Palestinian rally kicked off Friday afternoon in the nation's capital. 

Hundreds of people gathered in front of Union Station around 4:30 p.m. to demand a ceasefire in the Middle East. 

The rally, which remained peaceful, lasted just over three hours. 

At Union Station, police preemptively blocked the main entrance, but travelers were still able to get in and out.

Amtrak told riders to allow for extra time, Metro trains temporarily skipped the station, and by about 8 p.m., most protesters had left. 

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department said they made four arrests, but one person was not associated with the event. A wall near the station was covered in multicolored handprints, and the statement, "Free Palestine," was also written on it. 

 

"During the protest, our officers observed several individuals defacing property with paint. Three individuals were arrested and charged with Defacing Public Property. The property damage was limited to one section of Union Station, and clean-up crews are working to restore the building," said MPD Chief Pamela Smith in a statement. 

Friday's rally comes after Wednesday's clash between law enforcement and anti-war demonstrators outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Southeast D.C.

Organizers of Tuesday's "March for Israel" believe over 200,000 people from around the country came to their rally at the National Mall.

D.C.s Union Station decorated with wreaths for the holidays

Israel vowed to wipe out Hamas after the militant group launched its Oct. 7 incursion. Some 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the initial attack, and around 240 were taken captive by militants. The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 11,000 people. 

This is a developing story. Check back with FOX 5 for updates.