NEW YORK — Dozens of protesters staged a sit-in at Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's Manhattan office on Monday afternoon, calling on the New York Democrat to support joint resolutions of disapproval introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders in March that would block hundreds of millions of dollars in bombs and bulldozers to Israel. The action was coordinated by Jewish Voice for Peace, About Face: Veterans Against the War and several other groups.

After removing their casual-business attire, the protesters revealed matching shirts that read "FUND PEOPLE NOT BOMBS." The demonstration escalated when the group shut down traffic on Third Avenue, leading to the arrest of nearly a hundred protesters, including Chelsea Manning, actor Hari Nef and New York congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier. Artist Molly Crabapple was among those who sat in front of Gillibrand's office.

The protesters called on both Gillibrand and Sen. Chuck Schumer to back a vote on the Sanders resolutions. This would be the fourth vote on the joint resolutions of disapproval; both senators have previously opposed those resolutions. A separate war powers resolution vote affecting potential warfare against Middle East states, Venezuela, Cuba or Greenland is scheduled for Wednesday. Both the resolutions of disapproval and war powers votes are scheduled for tax day in the United States.

"New Yorkers are sick and tired of hearing that there's not enough money for their childcare, their healthcare, and yet every day we wake up and watch billions of dollars being spent on slaughter," Chevalier said. Monday's action was the first time Nef risked arrest. "I think you have to do a lot of mental gymnastics these days not to feel absolutely insane about what's happening geopolitically," she said.

Monday's protest was one of hundreds of demonstrations across the United States and around the world, including in Israel, against U.S. war-making since the conflict against Iran began. According to a memo shared with Democratic National Committee members, citing polling from Data for Progress and the Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project, if Democratic leadership does not oppose American war-making alongside Israel, the party risks losses in future races. Hamid Bendaas, communications director at the Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project, said: "Republicans face backlash for failing to come out adequately against the war and providing weapons to Israel." Polling shows that roughly 50% of people have opposed the war since its start, and that many voters lack confidence in the president's approach to Iran.

Gillibrand's and Schumer's offices did not respond to requests for comment.