Capitol Hill is girding for disruptions and unrest today, ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress. And at least 35 lawmakers have confirmed they’re planning to boycott the speech — although the final number is likely to be higher.

House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a warning to members yesterday about increased security measures in place for the speech, asking them to inform invited guests “that any disruption of the proceedings of the House is a violation of the rules and may subject the offenders to prosecution,” adding that any individuals who disrupt the speech will be removed from the chamber and arrested.

He added that it’s incumbent on members “to likewise model respect and proper decorum” and that “if any Member creates a disturbance, the Sergeant at Arms will request that such action be ceased immediately, and we trust that request will be heeded.”

The U.S. Capitol Police told Jewish Insider that the agency will be adding extra security, including from multiple outside agencies, in anticipation of a large number of protests. Officers from as far away as New York City were seen on Capitol grounds on Tuesday afternoon. Police set up riot fencing around the Capitol building earlier in the week, and will be limiting access to the Capitol to those approved by congressional offices and shutting down many entrances to the complex tomorrow.

Protests by various groups of anti-Israel and pro-Israel, anti-Netanyahu demonstrators are set to begin hours before Netanyahu’s address. One lawmaker, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), alleged in a statement that police informed lawmakers that 25,000 demonstrators are expected at the Capitol.

Previewing the potential unrest on Wednesday, hundreds of protesters organized by the far-left anti-Israel groups Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow staged a demonstration in a House office building on Tuesday afternoon. Capitol Police broke up the demonstration and arrested around 200 individuals.

Staff for Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI), who’s been critical of Israel’s operations in Gaza, said they had to call police for help after protesters attempted to force their way inside his office.

Inside the chamber, a growing group of Democratic lawmakers are expected to boycott the speech. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Peter Welch (D-VT) and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Cori Bush (D-MO) Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ami Bera (D-CA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Greg Casar (D-TX), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) are set to skip the speech, bringing the total of announced boycotters to more than 30, including those previously covered by JI. 

The boycott could easily exceed the 60 members who skipped Netanyahu’s 2015 address, and will include key congressional leaders: Durbin is the No. 2 Senate Democrat and DeLauro is the top Democrat on House Appropriations Committee.

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), who publicly floated the idea of protesting inside the chamber, was coy about his plans. “I’m probably having a Snickers bar,” he said, when asked about his approach to the speech.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) condemned the invitation but didn’t explicitly say whether she’ll boycott the speech.

And some members, including Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King (I-ME), Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) declined to discuss their plans when asked by JI yesterday.

Ocasio-Cortez told reporters that she plans to skip the speech because Netanyahu is “a war criminal,” but won’t be protesting due to “the threat environment” around the Hill and is planning to be “pretty hunkered down.”

Squad-aligned Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) told reporters on Tuesday morning that she’d be coordinating with Tlaib and others on how to respond to the speech.

Pressley and Casar, also members of the Squad, are set to hold a press conference calling for an arms embargo on Israel.

Bera told JI that he thinks that the focus for supporters of Israel should be on a cease-fire and the release of hostages, “and I think at this point, Bibi Netanyahu’s the one person who’s standing in the way of that.”

He added in a statement that he decided to boycott Netanyahu’s speech after meeting with families of the hostages, describing Netanyahu as an obstacle to a cease-fire, accusing him of not accepting the deal laid out by President Joe Biden and adding that “strong leadership is needed to pressure Hamas” to take the deal.

Cohen, a pro-Israel Jewish Democrat, told JI, “I didn’t go in 2015, and [Netanyahu is] not any better nine years later.”

McCollum told JI she’ll be watching the speech remotely, explaining, “I want to be respectful and hear what he has to say, but I don’t want to be in a room full of people cheering and applauding when so many people are suffering and dying.”

Ramirez said she’ll be joined on the Hill by an official who resigned from the Biden administration over objections to its Israel policy, while Omar said she’s giving her guest ticket for the speech to relatives of an Israeli hostage.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said he won’t be attending the speech due to a scheduling conflict. A handful of other members have also said that they have other conflicts.

Some key Democratic leaders said yesterday they’ll be attending the speech, including No. 3 House Democrat Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY) and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the senior-most Jewish Democrat in the House and the Judiciary Committee ranking member.

Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Rafael Warnock (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) said they’re also planning to attend. Kelly is on the vice presidential shortlist for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Nadler released a scathing statement describing Netanyahu as “the worst leader in Jewish history since the Maccabean king who invited the Romas into Jerusalem over 2100 years ago,” but said he’d attend out of respect for Israel and the office of the prime minister and to hold Netanyahu “accountable.”

Nadler’s decision to attend could place pressure on other progressive Democrats, who’ve looked to him as a leader on Israel and antisemitism issues in recent months, to attend.

Progressive congressional staff are planning a walk-out during the Netanyahu visit and encouraged interns to call in sick on Wednesday.

Hadar Susskind, the president of Americans for Peace Now, which is co-hosting an event for lawmakers and staff during Netanyahu’s speech featuring Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), said that around 20 lawmakers have RSVP’d to attend his event.

Susskind said that he expects the “loudest voice” from the protests will “include folks that are waving signs, shouting messages, chanting slogans that we very much disagree with, that are anti-Israel, some of them probably antisemitic too.” He said that he wanted to provide alternative outlets for people who are not anti-Israel.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), who’s presiding over the joint session as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, at the request of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters that he sees Netanyahu’s visit and his meeting with President Joe Biden as an opportunity to finalize a hostage deal.

“We’ve been told that the hostage deal is very very close, this might be able to push it,” Cardin said. “I’m not going to turn down any opportunities. Tomorrow’s an opportunity with the prime minister here. Let’s try to take advantage of it.”

Jewish Insider’s congressional correspondent Emily Jacobs contributed reporting