Pro-Hamas demonstrators, many of whom were wearing Palestinian flags, assembled on Capitol Hill at least several hundred strong to oppose Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled speech to Congress on Wednesday.
Blaze News’ Julio Rosas captured footage of the anti-Israel demonstrators pushing, yelling, and pursuing police officers stationed between Union Station and the Capitol.
“Total pandemonium.”
During the protest, there was footage of several members of the crowd trying to yank police officers off detained and restrained protestors.
“Release them! Let them go,” the mob yelled at the police.
Blaze News recorded footage of U.S. Park Police securing an American flag at Union Station, then leaving the scene of mayhem. After the officers, the protesters shouted orders to take the flag.
Activists took down the U.S. flags and replaced them with Palestinian flags. Protesters scratched the words “Hamas is coming” on a monument.
Additional images and videos capture protesters setting Israeli and American flags on fire.
To break up this altercation, Metropolitan Police used pepper spray outside the Capitol building.
Rosas described the situation as “total mayhem” in a post on X, claiming that the crowd was pursuing the demonstrators detained at Union Station in an attempt to free them. They eventually used pepper spray to drive the crowd away.
Law enforcement has reportedly taken several of the demonstrators into custody, according to Rosas.
In the meantime, around half of the Democratic members of the Senate and House chose to side with the far-left activists rather than go to Netanyahu’s speech to Congress. Among those who abstained from the prime minister’s speech were former House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) displayed a placard in the chamber that said, “Guilty of genocide.”
I’m calling it: Today shall be known as J24. https://t.co/VsCkHXre7H
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) July 24, 2024
Tlaib declared, “I will never back down from speaking the truth to power.” “The Israeli apartheid regime is killing Palestinians in a genocide.” “The Palestinian people will not vanish.” “We stand in solidarity with everyone demonstrating and using their freedom to dissent in the streets outside these gates.”
Ocasio-Cortez accused Netanyahu of being a “war criminal.”
Citing a previously booked function, VP Kamala Harris (D) also refrained from going to Netanyahu’s speech. There are reports the Israeli prime minister will meet with President Biden and Senator Harris. Friday is the scheduled meeting between Donald Trump and Netanyahu.
On Monday, upon the arrival of Netanyahu and his spouse in Washington, D.C., neither Biden or Harris appeared.
