Protest breaks out during private fundraiser for Bay Area congressmember

Protesters call on Bay Area congressman to stop funding war in Gaza

Dozens of demonstrators rallied outside a campaign event for Congressman Jared Huffman in Petaluma on Monday. They are calling on the Bay Area congressman to stop funding the war in Gaza.

PETALUMA, Calif. - Protesters are calling on a Bay Area congressmember to stop funding the war in Gaza.

Around seventy-five pro-Palestine protesters carrying flags, banners, and a loudspeaker, came together outside of Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma on Monday night.

Inside the brewery, democratic Congressman Jared Huffman held a private campaign fundraiser.

Protesters called out Huffman, who is running for reelection in California’s second district which spans from just north of the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, for voting in favor of the U.S. funding Israel’s war in Gaza, which they are against.

"Why are you trying to put a band-aid over a gunshot wound?" Jordan Byrd with Sonoma County for Palestine told KTVU. "The money going to Israel to injure Palestinians needs to stop."

In April, congress approved setting aside $26 billion to support Israel.

"I don’t want my tax money to go to the funding of this war and the occupation," protester Peter Oppenheimer of Marin County said.

The death toll in Gaza is now over 34,500 people, according to the Associated Press.

"I want him to call for ceasefire," protester Tamara M. of Santa Rosa said. "It’s as simple as that."

But Huffman did post on X, formerly known as Twitter, back on May 7, calling for "Immediate ceasefire and hostage release, so that we can finally end this terrible war and get on with the work of rebuilding Gaza and realizing a two-state solution."

"We want Huffman to take a stronger stance to end this genocide," Byrd said.

Protester Stacy Lippincott of Bodega has been calling the representative’s office every week since October to speak her mind.

"How long can we continue this?" Lippincott asked. "I think the pressure is on and the tides are turning."

Petaluma Police were on hand Monday night with orders to maintain the peace, while giving protesters space to demonstrate.

Police described the protest as peaceful, with a few children among the crowd.

The protest wrapped up just before 8:30 p.m., after the fundraiser ended.

KTVU spoke with Huffman’s campaign staff at the venue, which declined a request for an interview with the congressman and would not allow our crew inside the private event.

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