U.S. Capitol Police arrested dozens of veterans on Monday over a protest against the Iran war at the congressional office building in Washington, D.C.

At least 62 veterans and military family members were arrested during the protest, according to a statement by the Centre on Conscience and War.

The CCW organised the protest alongside Veterans For Peace, Common Defence, the Fayetteville Resistance Coalition, Military Families Speak Out, and 50501 Veterans.

Some demonstrators wielded several banners with inscriptions ‘End the War on Iran’ and ‘We can’t afford another war’, as well as red tulips to honour war victims in Iran.

The protesters also carried out a flag-folding ceremony symbolising the 13 U.S. military officers killed in the war and sought to meet House Speaker Mike Johnson to deliver the flag and call for an end to the war, which began on February 28.

Footage showed the demonstrators also chanting anti-war slogans before police operatives zip-tied them.

One of the protesters, Christina Sarson, a veteran from Pennsylvania, condemned the war’s impact on civilians and the military.

“We heard the same promises; we heard the same excuses and reasoning for the Iraq war that we’re hearing today, and they’re shifting constantly to justify our presence in the Middle East, and we’re not fooled. We as veterans know better,” Ms Sarson said in a video of the protest shared by Al Jazeera.

“President Donald Trump is putting our service members in harm’s way,” another veteran said in the protest video.

Jessica Serrato, a military family member from California, criticised Congress for failing to stop Mr Trump’s “recklessness” despite having the power.

CCW said in its statement that its executive director, Mike Prysner, and client Tyler Romero were among those arrested during the protest, along with 60 others.

Prior to his arrest, Mr Prysner, a veteran of the 2003Iraq war, recalled that thousands of Americans and a million Iraqis died in the “senseless” war.

“I have spent the last two decades wishing I could turn back the hands of time and refuse to go,” said Mr Prysner, who called on military officers to refuse deployment through “conscientious objection”, arguing that the war is “unpopular” and “already a crisis” for President Donald Trump’s administration.

According to the veteran, more than 100 service members have begun filing for conscientious objections, noting that the demonstration was a chance for servicemen to speak up and force Mr Trump to end the war.

Since the launch of the attacks, the U.S. forces have targeted Iranian military bases and infrastructure. Iran also retaliated by targeting Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf.

On April 8, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. However, Mr Trump warned last Friday that military actions against Iran could resume should it fail to agree to a deal, including giving up its nuclear programme, by April 22, when the ceasefire is due to expire.

The UN, rights organisations, including Amnesty International, Pope Leo XIV, U.S. lawmakers, foreign governments, as well as security and political analysts have criticised Mr Trump over his handling of the war.