The traditional comedic roasting of President Joe Biden and other political figures at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner took a somber turn this year as protests erupted outside the event, highlighting public discord over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Typically, the glitzy affair provides an opportunity for presidents to humorously critique media coverage of their administration and take jabs at political opponents.
However, with the conflict in the Middle East dominating headlines and stirring global concern, the mood at this year's dinner was markedly different.
As journalists, celebrities, and politicians gathered inside the event, hundreds of protesters assembled outside, voicing their condemnation of President Biden's handling of the conflict and criticizing Western media coverage of it.
The protests highlighted the growing discontent with the perceived lack of transparency and accuracy in reporting on the Israel-Hamas war.
Protesters, some draped in traditional Palestinian keffiyeh cloth, confronted guests entering the dinner venue, shouting "Shame on you!" and accusing U.S. journalists of downplaying the realities of the conflict.
Chants condemning the Western media's alleged bias and suppression of information reverberated through the crowd, reflecting widespread frustration with the portrayal of the situation in Gaza.
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