The Capitol Police deployed pepper spray against protesters on the Hill on Wednesday who were demonstrating prior to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address in the House chamber.

In a post on X, the Capitol Police said some in the crowd “started to become violent” at the intersection of 1st Street and Constitution Avenue NW. “The crowd failed to obey our order to move back from our police line. We are deploying pepper spray towards anyone trying to break the law and cross that line.”

Thousands have taken to the streets surrounding the Capitol, with some attempting to cross barricades as they protested U.S. military aid to Israel.

“Not another penny, not another dollar, no more money for Bibi’s slaughter,” the demonstrators chanted. Some held a large sculpture of Netanyahu with a wanted sign around his neck and blood on his hands.

Prior to the march, the demonstrators had gathered near the National Gallery of Art for a series of speeches from organizers and activists.

“I would now like for all of you to join me in a message to our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” said actor and activist Susan Sarandon. “We see you. We hear you, and we will raise your voices. No one is free until everyone is free.”

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t be attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech today, a spokesperson said.

“Speaker Pelosi will not be attending today’s Joint Meeting of Congress,” said spokesperson Ian Krager. “This morning, she will join a Members meeting with Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings.”

In follow-up comments to POLITICO, Pelosi said it was “inappropriate” for Netanyahu to be invited.

“That’s why we spent our time listening to the hostages families about how a ceasefire and a hostage deal are necessary,” she said. “We hope he would spend his time doing that.”

Asked if she thought Netanyahu was ready to make a deal, she replied: “I have no sense of Netanyahu’s interest in peace.”

Pelosi is the latest Democratic lawmaker to pass on attending the joint address as dozens say they’ll skip the speech or attend counterprogramming. Her move irked some pro-Israel Democrats who saw her move as giving cover for more in the party to pass on the speech.

Many of the Democratic Party’s biggest congressional stars won’t be in the House chamber for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address on Wednesday, according to a running tally of public statements compiled by POLITICO.

That includes:

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.)
Senate President Pro Tem Patty Murray (Wash.)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.)
Rep. Ro Khanna (Calif.)

Overall, more than 50 members of Congress have publicly indicated plans to boycott or not attend the afternoon address — and more are expected to announce they’re skipping this afternoon. That’s close to the 58 members of Congress who skipped Netanyahu’s 2015 speech.
Their decision isn’t sitting well with many Republicans. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) called the Democratic boycotts “absolutely disgraceful” and “pandering to the most radical elements of the Democratic base” in floor remarks ahead of Netanyahu’s speech.

Senate Republicans are blasting Vice President Kamala Harris’ decision to skip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress.

At a press conference on Capitol Hill, Republicans accused Harris and President Joe Biden of “waffling” in their support for Israel and criticized their decisions not to greet the polarizing Israeli leader upon his arrival. Republicans also focused on Harris’ decision not to attend and preside over the joint session of Congress in her role as president of the Senate, calling it a “disgrace” and accusing her of putting politics above the special relationship between Israel and the U.S.

“She doesn’t have many jobs as the vice president,” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) said of Harris. “The vice president could be here today if she wanted to. She has chosen not to fulfill her duty. “

Harris is addressing a previously scheduled gathering of historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta in Indianapolis. But she will conduct a separate bilateral meeting with Netanyahu tomorrow at the White House, per an aide.

Others like Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) — the No. 2 Republican in the Senate — used the opportunity to re-up other GOP attacks against Harris, pointing to her work as the Biden administration’s point person on immigration and her support for marquee pieces of climate legislation.

Republicans did not attack their colleague and Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), who is also not attending Netanyahu’s speech due to a prior commitment. Biden also declined to attend Netanyahu’s last address to Congress in 2015 due to scheduling conflicts.

Sen. Mark Kelly, a contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, tore into Republican VP nominee Sen. JD Vance on Wednesday, saying Vance would “abandon” Ukraine in favor of Russia.

“It’s pretty clear to me you’ve got JD Vance who wants to totally abandon Ukraine, and you’ve got Donald Trump who has been in the past rather pro-Russia and leaned in with Vladimir Putin in ways I would never expect the president to do,” Kelly said in a brief interview with POLITICO. “So again, we have a serious choice to make, and I’d be really concerned about what those guys would do to abandon an ally in favor of an adversary. And that would be a much more dangerous world.”

The two senators are on the opposite end of the spectrum on the issue of aiding Ukraine.

As a senior Senate Armed Services Committee member and former Navy pilot, Kelly (D-Ariz.) has been a staunch advocate for Ukraine and has taken a hands-on role on the issue of training Ukrainian F-16 pilots at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in his home state. Vance (R-Ohio), a Marine Corps veteran, is a vocal opponent of Ukraine aid, saying it’s prolonging a bloody war Kyiv cannot win.

Kelly, who this week visited the Farnborough International Airshow in England, said he used the occasion to meet with U.S. diplomatic and military officials about how U.S. security assistance has helped Ukraine against Russia’s two-year-old invasion.

Asked if he’s being vetted for the presidential ticket, Kelly declined to discuss it, saying, “I don’t get into private conversations.”

“This isn’t about me. I mean, this is about Kamala Harris and making sure we win this election here in how many days, 100, less than 100?” he said. “This is really about her and Donald Trump — a prosecutor with all this experience running against a guy that’s been convicted of 34 felonies and a choice about the future, or are we going back to the past where we were less safe.”

FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed to lawmakers on Wednesday that law enforcement recovered a drone and explosive devices from the gunman’s vehicle as part of its investigation into the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

“I’m prepared to answer questions here today about the shooter and his use of the drone,” Wray told the House Judiciary Committee at the start of what is expected to be an hourslong hearing.

Wray cautioned that the investigation is still ongoing, but said it appears at this point that Thomas Crooks had used the drone on the day of the shooting around 4 p.m. roughly 200 yards from where Trump spoke.

Wray added that it was currently being analyzed by the FBI and that the drone was in the gunman’s vehicle at the time of the shooting.

In addition to confirming details about the drone, Wray told lawmakers that the FBI investigation is focused on the shooter — indicating that questions about the Secret Service’s actions were being covered by other investigations. As part of the FBI’s probe, they are investigating what the shooter’s motive might have been and if he had any accomplices — with Wray saying the FBI has so far no evidence that points to the latter.

Wray also told the committee that the FBI found eight cartridges on the roof where Crooks was positioned. Law enforcement also recovered three explosive devices, Wray said — two from his vehicle and one from his residence.

Wray’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee is his first public appearance before Congress since the July 13 shooting. The hearing was on the books before the shooting, but Wray is now expected to get a laundry list of questions about the FBI’s ongoing investigation.

It also comes two days after then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle appeared before the House Oversight Committee — sparking bipartisan frustration among lawmakers who felt like she evaded their questions. Cheatle announced on Tuesday that she would resign.

Wray, during his opening statement, called the shooting an “an attack on democracy” and said he was prepared to give the committee “all the information I can, given where we are at this point.”

“I recognize both the congressional and the public interest in this case and the importance of this investigation to the American people,” he added.

For weeks, Democrats have been split on giving Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a platform Wednesday to address Congress. But anxieties have lessened a bit, as many expect he’ll be overshadowed by Kamala Harris’ sudden rise.

“I don’t think the country is going to be following along right now, anyway, given everything that’s happening,” Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), a progressive who won’t be attending the prime minister’s address, told POLITICO.

Harris herself is skipping the joint address, which her office attributed to priorly scheduled plans. And while Republicans are criticizing her planned absence, most Democrats aren’t concerned. Many Democrats feel as though the fault lines in their party with regards to Israel — though significant and fiercely held — are already well-established, and Netanyahu’s speech won’t affect them regardless of its content.

“I want to be able to hear what he has to say — and I’m sure that I’ll find reasons to criticize some of it — and I will do that best if I’m there,” said Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.). “We’ve kind of dealt with the issue. We have a variety of views on the issue of Israel and Palestine. I think we’re pretty focused” on the fall election as a conference, he added.

Scores of rank-and-file members, including prominent progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), plan to skip the remarks, as they’ve harshly criticized Netanyahu over his handling of the conflict in Gaza that’s resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

“I think most people understand this for what it is: It’s a partisan stunt,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), another lawmaker who won’t be attending. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has also approved the speech, as the leaders of both chambers have to sign off on any joint address before Congress.

“Basically, Netanyahu [is] appearing for the extreme MAGA Republican caucus, and I’m not going to be there. I’m going to do something productive,” Huffman added.

It’s not just the content of the speech itself, but many of the symbolic aspects surrounding it that have raised eyebrows. Harris will not preside over the remarks, nor will Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray (D-Wash.). Miles of fencing now surround the Capitol grounds to keep the anticipated throng of protesters far away from the Capitol building.

The U.S. Capitol Police predict thousands of protesters will descend on the area for the Netanyahu address.

Meanwhile, Harris’ move to not preside over the speech — Senate Foreign Relations Chair Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) will do so instead — didn’t sit well with Republicans, and even some Democrats.

“The fact that the administration is not even willing to sit on the rostrum to support the prime minister at this time, to us, is just beyond the pale,” Speaker Mike Johnson said at a press conference Tuesday. “How can she be expected to be viewed as a leader if she can’t fulfill this basic responsibility?”

Other Democrats, such as Reps. Jim Clyburn (S.C.), Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), Jim McGovern (Mass.), Jamie Raskin (Md.) and Mark Takano (Calif.), will meet with Israeli hostage families — an effort to show their support for the Israeli people despite their fierce disagreement with Netanyahu’s government.

Johnson, Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will meet with Netanyahu before his address to Congress — a sitdown that could get awkward given Schumer’s call for new elections in the country.