Condemnation of the vandalism and violence was swift and bipartisan. Yet only 23 people were arrested.
Just steps away from the U.S. Capitol, pro-Hamas protestors burned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in effigy while tearing down and burning the American flag flying over Union Station. They replaced the American flag with the flag of Palestine.
While the Associated Press failed to note that protesters burned the American flag, it was reported among the crowd’s chants was an exhortation of “the intifada has just begun.” The word intifada, in context, refers to an armed rebellion among Arabs against the state of Israel.
The Columbus Fountain and other landmarks around Union Station were spray painted or otherwise vandalized with slogans such as “Free Gaza” and “Hamas is Comin’.” American protestors have been supporting a group designated as a terrorist organization since 1997.
Many protestors carried pre-printed signs calling Netanyahu a war criminal while others interviewed refused to say what they would say to the Israeli PM, saying “I don’t want to incriminate myself.”
Well before the speech, the Palestinian Youth Movement released maggots and other bugs into the Watergate Hotel where Netanyahu is staying.
While the White House condemned the protests as “disgraceful”, Vice President Kamala Harris, now the presumptive standard bearer for Democrats in the presidential election, skipped Netanyahu’s speech to Congress.
The U.S. Capitol Police tweeted out regular updates on disruptions during the speech and the violent crowd’s refusal to obey the law and respect police barricades. The crowd became so violent and unmanageable that Capitol Police had to use pepper spray.
Condemnation of the anti-Israel, pro-Hamas protesters was bipartisan, with former Democratic presidential candidate Congressman Dean Phillips saying he “never imagined seeing the flag of a terror group…waved in the streets of our nation’s Capitol.” GOP Senator John Barrasso is urging those responsible for violence and vandalism “to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Neither Senator in Pennsylvania, John Fetterman nor Bob Casey have issued any statement regarding the protests.
Washington seemingly anticipated trouble, as members of the New York Police Department were sent the day before to assist Capitol Police with potential disruptions. Despite the mass vandalism and attempts to breach police barricades, only 23 people were arrested.
