Federal Protective Service officers have been arresting protestors who filled the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland to demand a cease-fire in Gaza, and organizers claim hundreds of people have been taken into custody.

According to organizers, more than 700 people had planned to “occupy” the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building on Clay Street Monday afternoon to protest military actions in Gaza that were sparked by an attack on Israel by Hamas Oct. 7.  

People in T-shirts reading “Jews Say Cease-fire Now” and carrying banners that read “Not in Our Name” and “Let Gaza Live” filled the area, the perimeter of which was closed off by Oakland police. A sing-song “Cease-fire Now” could be heard echoing through the rotunda.  

Though Jewish Voice for Peace, or JVP, a main organizer of protest, said that at least 450 people had been detained or arrested as of 9:30 p.m., the Federal Protective Service could not be reached to confirm that number. 

“We are being arrested one by one, there are hundreds of us still at the Oakland federal building, we are not leaving,” said JVP on the social media platform X at 8:10 p.m.

At 9:45 p.m., JVP posted a video of filmmaker and activist Boots Riley being taken away by federal security. Earlier, Riley had posted on X, “The govt of Israel does not act on behalf of, nor represent, Jewish people.” 

According to JVP, the action was part of a national week of Jewish-led protests calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, with protestors demanding that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris follow the lead of U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, in calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. 

Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas also posted a letter to President Joe Biden and members of Congress on X on Monday calling for a cease-fire.  

“The humanitarian crisis and loss of thousands of innocent civilian lives in Palestine and Israel is unforgiveable and inhumane,” she wrote. “The continued loss of children is a failure of humanity.” 

Bas also asked that continued humanitarian aid be allowed into Gaza.  

“I condemn the ongoing killing of innocent Palestinian lives,” she further wrote. “I condemn the killing of innocent Israeli lives in the October 7th attack. This violence takes place in the context of the ongoing occupation of Gaza, which is contrary to International Law.”  

Activists have vowed to occupy the building until elected officials take action or the protestors are all arrested.

Federal security had sent out dispersal orders around 7:45 p.m. and began detaining people shortly thereafter. 

Note to readers: This story has been updated to include information on the latest arrests made following the protest.

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.