(BCN) — A group of protesters chained themselves to the entrance of the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco Tuesday afternoon to demand the United States stop providing military aid to Israel.

The group of about 50 people gathered in front of the consulate offices on Montgomery Street between California and Sacramento streets at about 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Wearing black and yellow T-shirts with “75 years of Israeli war crimes” emblazoned on the front, about 20 protesters chained themselves to each other and to the building’s front doors in order to stop normal operations.

“There are people from many different organizations across the Bay Area who are tired of what the Israelis are doing which is why we’re chained in front of the consulate and trying to shut it down this afternoon,” said Robert Ross, who described himself as an educator.

“We are part of a growing movement around the world demanding that the illegal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip end and Palestinian human rights be respected,” Ross said.

Organizers said they expected up to 200 people to participate in the protest, which will also include a news conference and demonstration.

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Ross said the event is partly in response to what the United Nations called “violent incursions” and “attacks on Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque”, where people were gathered for Ramadan prayers April 5.

“We are going to be here as long as we can and the people who are locked up have signed up to be willing to risk arrest to make as dramatic a statement as possible,” Ross said.

San Francisco Police Department officers have been at the scene since just after 3 p.m., according to a department spokesperson.

The building is closed for the day, according to a woman who answered the phone at the consulate phone. She did not provide her name.

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