Anti-Israel activists vandalized Washington DC landmarks in protest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address before Congress Wednesday, defacing them with pro-Hamas slogans and pulling down the Stars and Stripes and replacing them with Palestinian flags.
“Hamas is coming,” was scrawled in red across the face of the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain at Union Station, according to photographs published by the protest group Palestinian Assembly for Liberation-Awda. The graffiti was accented with the inverted red triangle favored in Hamas videos to denote the targeting of enemies. The foundation was covered in smaller triangles and slogans, such as “free Gaza” and “all Zionists are bastards.”
The Liberty Bell replica Freedom Bell, American Legion, which stands across from the fountain, was completely covered in graffiti and red inverted triangles, according to Congressman Ryan Zinke. In a video posted to X, Zinke highlighted graffiti on the bell that said “Abolish the USA.”
Montanas deserve to see this: Absolutely unacceptable actions by “peaceful protesters” who support Palestinian terrorists. pic.twitter.com/Cp707u125W
— Ryan Zinke (@RyanZinke) July 25, 2024
The American flags that flew at Union Station were pulled down from their poles and replaced with Palestinian flags, according to a video posted on Instagram by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM). Timcast News documented that the US flags were set on fire.
Congressman Dan Crenshaw said on X that later that night he and other members of the house with the aid of the Capitol Police raised new American Flags in their stead.
As the Palestinian flags were raised, PYM footage shows that an effigy of Netanyahu was set on fire. Next to the burning effigy, a flag emblazoned with the face of Hamas Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida was waved, and nearby a sign proclaimed “Bibi [Netanyahu] must hang.”
Some at the demonstration wore terrorist paraphernalia. One woman wore a Hamas headband over a keffiyeh. Fox News photographed a woman with a Hamas flag wearing a “Umm Obeida” headband in reference to the terrorist spokesman. On the shoulder of her camouflage jacket was the logo of the Al-Qassam brigade, and a pin with Abu Obeida’s face in its lapel. Timcast News documented a protester marching through Washington with a Hezbollah flag.
“Netanyahu you will pay, resistance is the only way,” chanted some demonstrators. “There is only one solution, intifada revolution.”
The protesters had surrounded and attempted to prevent entry of Netanyahu’s motorcade to the Capitol.
“Protesters are on every street and police are scrambling to respond,” claimed protest organizers on a Telegram channel.
Police had to move protesters who had linked hands with lock-on devices shaped like flowers.
Washington DC Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said in a Wednesday statement that her force had arrested five people for blocking traffic flow “near the intersection of 4th Street, Southwest, and Independence Avenue, Southwest.”
Protests took a violent turn at several points in the day. A group of protesters pushed against a line of Capitol Police, demanding, “let us through,” according to a People’s Forum NYC video. Soon after, the demonstrators were doused with pepper spray.
Arrested on assault charges
“The crowd failed to obey our order to move back from our police line,” the Capitol Police said on X. “We are deploying pepper spray towards anyone trying to break the law and cross that line.”
Smith said that two protesters were arrested and charged with assaulting an MPD officer at Columbus Circle. Two more were arrested for crossing police lines after the assault.
“While many people chose to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights in our city, some choose to disobey the law,” said Smith.
US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday condemned what she called “despicable acts by unpatriotic protesters” outside Union Station in Washington, where some pro-Palestinian demonstrators burned American flags a day prior, to protest Netanyahu’s visit.
“I condemn the burning of the American flag. That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America. It should never be desecrated in that way,” Harris said in a statement released by the White House.