San Francisco government buildings defaced during rally for cease-fire in Gaza

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Downtown San Francisco Thursday to call for a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas, many holding Palestinian flags and some chaining themselves together in front of the San Francisco Federal Building, according to social media posts and photos.

Protesters also vandalized the building and the nearby Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals building, spray-painting graffiti reading “free Palestine” and “Israel ain’t real,” according to a post to X, formerly known as Twitter. One protestor also climbed on top of one of the courthouse’s entrances holding a Palestinian flag, the post shows.

Protests of the war between Israel and Hamas, which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization since 1997, have broken out across the Bay Area since the Oct. 7 surprise assault by Hamas on Israel. San Francisco public high school students walked out Wednesday in protest of the ongoing conflict.

The protest came hours after President Joe Biden gave a primetime address during which he called for billions of dollars in aid for Israel from Congress and for the U.S. to increase its support for Ukraine.

“History has taught us when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction,” Biden said. “They keep going. And the cost and the threat to America and the world keep rising.”

Biden’s speech reflected an expansive view of U.S. obligations overseas at a time when he faces political resistance at home to additional funding. He’s expected to ask for $105 billion on Friday, including $60 billion for Ukraine, much of which would replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles provided earlier.

The Arab Resource and Organizing Center, which helped organize the protest, was contacted for comment.