Thousands of protesters gathered on Wednesday within sight of the US Capitol building, denouncing Israel’s war in Gaza and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hours before he was set to address members of Congress.

Protesters carrying signs that read “arrest Netanyahu” and “end all US aid to Israel” shouted “Free, free Palestine” a day after a sit-in at a congressional office building that ended with several arrests.

Protest leaders said six intersections leading to the Capitol have been “claimed by the Palestinian people”. Organisers had said in advance that they would try to block Netanyahu’s route to the building.

Zeina Hutchinson, director of development for the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, read off the names of several Palestinian journalists killed by the Israeli military.

“We protest this homicidal maniac, his supporters and his enablers,” she shouted from the stage. “And we demand his arrest.”