On January 16, 2024 several students, faculty, and alumni traveled to Washington D.C. to protest the ongoing violence in Gaza. Around noon, 135 Demonstrators legally entered the Cannon Office building and then moved to the Cannon Rotunda to engage in civil disobedience. While in the rotunda, the group of Mennonites sang hymns and chanted while raising several banners that read slogans such as: “Send Food Not Bombs”, “Free All Hostages”, and “Let Gaza Live”.
One song that the group chose to sing was ‘Canticle of Turning’ which includes these lyrics:
God’s mercy must deliver us from the conqueror’s crushing grasp
This saving word that out forebears
Heard is the promise which holds us bound
‘Til the spear and rod can be
Crushed by God
Who is turning the world around
My heart shall sing of the day you bring
Let the fires of your justice burn
Wipe away all tears
For the dawn draws near
And the world is about to turn!
When asked about his motivation to participate in the civil disobedience, EMU student Aidan Yoder said, “I decided to take part in the civil disobedience because I wanted to honor the relationships that I developed during my time in Palestine and be able to say that I did everything I could to work to end the violence in Gaza.”
As the civil disobedience took place inside the capitol building, a group of roughly 200 more protestors were outside braving the cold, singing, and bringing signed petitions to their representatives. While they were outside they spent time in prayer and several people shared stories. Some of the protestors reported that they could hear those participating in civil disobedience singing even though they were outside and across the street.
The Capitol Police issued three warnings to the demonstrators instructing them to leave the building, but the group continued to sing and chant. One by one, the Capitol Police arrested the protestors, and lined them up in groups of ten around the rotunda. The police then led the demonstrators out of the rotunda into a side hallway where they submitted to initial searching and processing. While getting arrested and being processed the group continued to sing, and some even sang all the way until arrival at the Capitol Police warehouse. Once the group arrived at the warehouse, detainees were slowly removed from their vehicles where they were patted down again. Over the course of several hours all of those arrested were released after being processed and paying a $50 fine.
This protest has received lots of attention from several major news sources such as The Washington Post, Fox News, and Aljazeera. Shane Claiborne, Christian activist and founder of ‘Red Letter Christians’, said about the event that “It is powerful to see this particular witness, from a tradition of Christianity known for its historic commitment to nonviolence.”
Not all of the attention that the event garnered was positive. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far right wing congresswoman, stated that the protest was “Another Hamas insurrection in the Cannon House office building!”
EMU student and protestor Levi Myers when asked about the media coverage said, “The coverage gave us a boost in energy and helped remind us why we were there. We wanted people to see that even the Mennonites were going to speak up for Palestine, so you know it must be bad.”The organizer Mennonite Action states on their website that, “Mennonite Action is a movement of Mennonites bonded by a common belief that we must be public about our peace values.” The organization continues to say that “We are mobilizing Mennonites across the US and Canada to use creative nonviolent actions to demand a ceasefire, end the US and western funded occupation of Palestine, and build for a lasting peace.”
