Harris' final case to voters in rally stained by Gaza bloodbath charges

Washington, DC— The Ellipse, sprawling between the White House and Washington Monument, buzzed with anticipation, thick with hope, tension, and the weight of what was to come.

Kamala Harris, Vice President and now candidate on the brink of Election Day, stood ready to deliver her final pitch on Tuesday. Bathed in the glow of floodlights and framed by the towering obelisk, Harris' speech was meant to rally the faithful. But just beyond the cheering crowd, another, more urgent message echoed — massive protests demanding end to Israel's carnage in Gaza being carried out with US-supplied weapons.

In the afternoon, the security presence was impossible to miss. Officers in dark uniforms clustered near metal detectors, and yellow barricades sectioned off areas to contain the swelling crowds.

As police drones hovered overhead, and sharpshooters plonked on the rooftops of nearby federal buildings, the National Park Service expanded its permit to accommodate more than 20,000 attendees, a dramatic leap from the original 8,000.

On one side, rallygoers, many draped in campaign merchandise, lined up to see the woman they hoped could fend off the return of her Republican rival Donald Trump. On the other, groups of protestors — Palestinian flags and placards in hand — voiced their anger and frustration over Biden administration's unbridled support for Israel's carnage in Gaza.

By evening, the energy on the Ellipse felt both electric and tense, as the rally unfolded in a divided Washington.

"We've waited long enough to see real change," Jeremy Collins, 43, a DC resident and lifelong Democrat, told TRT World. "Kamala is the one who can lead us through this moment — if we just hold the line. The stakes couldn't be higher."

The crowd roared as Harris took the stage, her words cutting through the cool October air. She painted this election as a choice between "progress and chaos," warning that a second Trump presidency would plunge the nation into further division.

"I pledge to be a president for all Americans — to always put country above party and above self," she said, her voice rising above the cheers. The familiar cadences of campaign rhetoric were sharpened by a sense of urgency.

On the northeast side of the Washington Monument, voice was gaining strength.

"Free, free Palestine!" rang out across the lawn, as protestors carried signs demanding an end to US support for Israel.

The presence of these demonstrators —hundreds of them — (some of them have been camping overnight) was impossible to ignore.

Their sloganeering created an audible backdrop to Harris' rally, a stark reminder of the anger and urgency brewing within certain Democratic blocs over the administration's handling of the war in which Israel has so far killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, wounded over 100,000, bombed every home and shop, and displaced almost the entire 2.4 million Palestinians.

'Our communities are hurting'

Sarah Jamal, 29, stood near the edge of the protest zone, holding a sign that read, "Biden and Harris: No More War Crimes."

A second-generation Palestinian-American, she told TRT World that she came to make sure her voice was heard.

"My family has always voted Democrat, but this time feels different. I can't support a candidate who ignores what’s happening in Gaza," she said. "Our communities are hurting, and they can't just sweep this under the rug with a campaign speech."

A few feet away, Amir Hadi, a student from George Washington University, nodded in agreement.

"We're not here to disrupt—just to remind them that the policies they back have consequences," he said. "If they want our vote, they need to listen to us. Words aren’t enough."

Back in the Harris rally Marcy Lewis, 52, a healthcare worker from Arlington, Virginia, waved a "Harris 2024" sign high above her head.

"Look, I understand the frustration. But the bigger picture matters. We can't afford four more years of Trump," she said. "Kamala has shown up for healthcare workers, for working families, for all of us. She’s our best shot at moving forward."

The crowd erupted as Harris, nearing the end of her speech, declared, "Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail. I’ll give them a seat at the table."

Battleground of hopes and frustrations

The rally-goers cheered wildly, a sea of blue banners waving against the night sky. The Washington Monument loomed large behind them, its marble surface glinting in the spotlight, a silent reminder of America’s history and the unfinished business of democracy.

As the rally wound down, the chants for Gaza continued near the Washington monument, persistent and unyielding.

For many in the crowd, the protests underscored the tensions within the United States — tensions Harris will have to navigate if she hopes to clinch a victory. For others, they were a distraction from what they saw as the most important task: preventing Donald Trump from returning to power.

In the American capital city defined by symbols, Tuesday's events felt heavy with significance.

Beneath the gaze of the Washington Monument and within sight of the White House, the Ellipse became a battleground of hopes and frustrations – with pro-Palestine protestors making both their voice and presence felt – fighting for a vision of what America should be.

The night carried both promises and protests, reflecting the divisions still shaping the nation.

In just a week, voters will decide which path to follow— and whether Harris’ words under the cool October sky will be enough to carry her to the White House.