On June 15, nearly 300 organizers with Jewish Voice for Peace descended upon the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles as celebrities, Democratic mega donors, and former President Barack Obama joined President Joe Biden at a glitzy fundraiser that raised over $30 million for his presidential campaign. Activists held a rally outside the fundraiser and blockaded entrances in an effort to draw attention to a new call for an arms embargo to Israel after Israel’s bloody invasion of Rafah sent alarm and outrage through the international community.

The fundraiser, which the LA Times reported had a top-tier ticket package costing $500,000, was attended by some of the state’s biggest political donors, and was intended to widen the fundraising gap in the state for the President. According to the LA Times, “The least expensive tickets cost $250 for a seat farthest from the stage. The priciest option, at $500,000, includes four seats in the first three rows in front of the stage, a reception and photos with Biden and Obama, and an after-party, according to an invitation.” In an effort to prevent disruptions by activists, fences were erected around the perimeter of the theater the day before the fundraiser.

The presence of a 10-foot security fence, top-dollar ticket prices, and roster of A-list attendees felt a bit too much like “keeping out the rabble.” There is a stark disparity between the Biden campaign and the throngs of working people who are dissatisfied and angry at the Biden administration’s insistent support of Israel in the ongoing genocide in Palestine, as well as his messaging about the state of the nation’s economy. High profile fundraisers such as the one on June 15 feel out of touch with the economic realities of the voters that Biden is trying to retain leading into November. This appears to be proving difficult, especially in a time of increased insecurity for the average working person, who can barely afford a trip to the grocery store let alone a ticket to a glittering fundraiser full of Hollywood’s elite.

This disparity has not escaped the attention of California’s top GOP operatives. California Republican Party Chairwoman Jessica Milan Patterson was quoted in the LA Times: “‘Nothing says to struggling Americans, ‘I understand what you’re going through and am ready to help,’ like spending a night schmoozing with the ultra-relatable George Clooney, Julia Roberts and other Hollywood celebrities.’”

“Biden claimed that an invasion of Rafah was a red line, and that if Israel crossed that red line, he would not supply weapons for that invasion,” said Craig Willse, a member of JVP Los Angeles. “Not only did Israel cross that line, but the massacres have only increased.”

For JVP activists, the fundraiser was a crucial opportunity to confront the campaign’s would-be donors and remind them of the dire international crisis that the United States has been bankrolling in Palestine. “Biden claimed that an invasion of Rafah was a red line, and that if Israel crossed that red line, he would not supply weapons for that invasion,” said Craig Willse, a member of JVP Los Angeles. “Not only did Israel cross that line, but the massacres have only increased.” He called attention to the massive amount of military aid that the US has given to Israel over the last 9 months, and reiterated JVP’s call for an arms embargo against Israel. “[This conflict] is a genocide that’s made possible by US funding and US weapons, and we want an immediate arms embargo, the end of sales of any weapons to Israel, and an immediate end to this genocide,” he said.

JVP members remain focused on drawing as much attention as possible to the administration’s continued financial support for Israel’s violence in Palestine, and stand resolutely against any claims that the administration’s actions have the effect of combating antisemitism. “President Biden has overseen the transfer of billions of dollars in military aid to the Israeli government… and he has done so and others have done so by claiming that support for Israel is synonymous with support for Jewish safety,” said Benjamin Kersten, UCLA graduate student and member-leader of JVP LA. “Many of us know as Jews that our safety actually comes from solidarity, and not from state violence and militarism, and we have a political and moral obligation to [stand against] the actions that Israel has taken against Palestinians. We’re making it clear as Jews and as allies, that we stand against this. … We are making it clear that we’re not going to rest until [the genocide] stops.”

At the June 15 fundraiser, VIP guests were shuttled into the fenced-off area through guarded entrances, and only those who purchased tickets were allowed past security. As the protest commenced, guests were forced to navigate a gauntlet of protesters with signs to reach an entrance on Figueroa Street. As the chanting continued, protesters attempted to engage with the attendees and convince them to rethink their donations to the incumbent presidential candidate.

At another, larger entrance around the corner at the intersection of Olympic Blvd and Francisco Street, a group of nearly 30 JVP activists locked arms and blockaded the entrance, completely blocking the attendees from entering. Eventually, fundraiser organizers were forced to walk the attendees around the blockade and to another entrance at the back of the venue.

During a tense 20 minutes, officers dressed in riot gear held a scrimmage line against the protesters and called an unlawful assembly, ordering the protesters to disperse. Eventually, the officers closed the gate and retreated behind the security fence before chaining it shut. Afterward, the protesters occupied the intersection and continued their rally for a couple of hours before dispersing before the fundraiser ended.

Some Democratic Party operatives posted approvingly on X, formerly Twitter, about the lack of disruptions by protesters inside the fundraiser, referring to instances where activists had managed to gain access to and disrupt speeches inside other campaign events in the past. “Just now leaving a jam packed Peacock theater with George Clooney, Hukia Roberts [sic], Jimmy Kimmel, First Lady Dr [sic] Jill Biden, President Obama and Biden and not a single protestor interrupted,” tweeted Michael Trujillo, a Democratic Party strategist, on X. “Folks in LA understand how important it is we win.” His comments were met with swift backlash from other users, who pointed out the obvious overabundance of security outside the theater, and the efforts by LAPD to contain disruptions to outside the event.

Despite the Biden campaign raising over $30 million for his electoral war chest, JVP considers the protest and disruptive action a success. “It was a strong showing of the power of our growing community and attendees were forced to see and hear our collective demands for a U.S. arms embargo on Israel as security scrambled to find them an alternate entrance,” a JVP representative told TRNN in a text. “It was important for fundraiser attendees and organizers to understand that we expect our “elected leaders” to be accountable to their words and that we will demand it until this genocide and the violent occupation ends.”

This post was originally published on The Real News Network.