Anti-Israel protesters stormed the Israeli consulate Monday in San Francisco, California, according to video footage posted on social media and multiple reports.
The footage shows a group of demonstrators walking through the building brandishing the Pride flag and a banner that read “Zionism Kills.” The protest comes amid widespread demonstrations that have taken place nationally after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Another video shows protesters chanting “Long live the Intifada” in the lobby of the consulate. The building had been shut down for almost two hours when it was posted, according to the account.
The fracas prompted a response from San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) officers who stood outside the building as the protesters continued their chants.
A spokesperson for the SFPD told the Daily Caller that officers have “detained individuals for potential arrest.” An Associated Press journalist witnessed officers placing zip-ties on approximately a dozen people, ABC News reported.
San Francisco Police Lt. Jesse Cruz estimated that around 70 individuals participated in the protest on the ground level, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Protesters told the news outlet that they intended to remain in the building until they were “forcibly” ejected from the premises.
A number of the protesters reportedly also chanted, “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israeli’s slaughter.”