Pro Palestinian-protestors on Wednesday lowered an American flag and burned it down a few blocks away from the US Congress and hoisted a Palestine flag in its place. The incident happened in front of the Union Station, near the US Congress, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a Joint Session of the US Congress.

The protestors in several hundreds were protesting against the US policy in the Middle East and the bombing of innocent civilians by Israelis in Gaza and parts of Palestine. Six people were arrested by the local police. Videos posted online showed that the protestors were shouting pro-Hamas and anti-Israeli slogans. They lowered a huge American flag in front of the busy Union Station and burned it down, then they raised the flag of Palestine which was much smaller.

The protests were also held in several parts of the city as Netanyahu addressed the Congress.

Many of them were seen shouting slogans against him outside the hotel he stayed in. Several other protestors were seen defacing some of the historic monuments in the city and writing Hamas over the wall and statue. Barricades were installed around important government buildings and offices in the city, including the White House and the US Congress. Police used pepper spray against the protestors outside the US Capitol.

“US flag set ablaze, 23 arrested as thousands protest Netanyahu’s D.C. visit,” The Washington Post reported. “Though most demonstrators walked and chanted peacefully, there were some clashes with law enforcement, and D.C. and Capitol Police said they arrested 15 people in total. The U.S. Park Police arrested eight people,” it said. The protestors also put ablaze an effigy of Netanyahu, spray-painted the Christopher Columbus fountain and adjacent Liberty Bell reproduction with messages like “Free Gaza,” “All zionists are bastards,” and “Free Palestine.”