Harris blasts ‘hate-fueled’ anti-Israel protests where US flag and PM effigy burned, Hamas hailed
Demos in DC as Netanyahu spoke in Congress featured Hamas flags and signs, placard urging ‘Final Solution’ for Zionists; Veep, who skipped speech, says antisemitism has no place in US
WASHINGTON — United States Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday blasted the “despicable acts and dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric” by “unpatriotic” anti-Israel demonstrators who rioted outside the Capitol on Wednesday in protest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress.
At least six people were arrested in the protest of thousands, which featured antisemitic and pro-Hamas slogans and signs, the vandalism of property, the torching of an effigy of Netanyahu and the burning of an American flag.
A number of protesters waved Hamas flags, and wore the inverted red triangle Hamas uses to identify targets for its violence. One man waved a placard, “Allah is gathering all the Zionists for the ‘Final Solution,’” a reference to the Holocaust.
“I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews.
“Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation,” Harris said in a statement that followed condemnations from Democratic and Republican leaders.
“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.”
“I support the right to peacefully protest, but let’s be clear: Antisemitism, hate and violence of any kind have no place in our nation,” added the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Following Netanyahu’s speech, some of the demonstrators gathered in front of Union Station. They hoisted Palestinian flags outside the iconic train station, burned American ones and spray-painted the words “Hamas is coming” and “Free Gaza” on a large monument.
Demonstrators calling for an end to Israel’s offensive filled several blocks as they weaved through the streets of the nation’s capital carrying Palestinian flags and signs with messages such as “arrest Netanyahu” and “end all US aid to Israel.”
Some protestors are displaying images of the inverted red triangle – a symbol used by Hamas in propaganda videos to identify targets & by antisemitic protestors worldwide. The symbol often represents Hamas itself and exalts its use of violence. More here: https://t.co/gaNkKXWuvU pic.twitter.com/78dLJ0l3xF
— ADL (@ADL) July 24, 2024
In a post on social media just before her statement was issued, Senator J.D. Vance, who is running for vice president alongside Donald Trump, attempted to paint Harris as pro-Hamas.
“Anti-American and pro-Hamas rioters burned the American flag in front of the US Capitol, and the woman who wants to be our president is still refusing to condemn it,” Vance wrote.
The White House condemned the conduct of protesters, saying “antisemitism and violence are never acceptable.”
“Identifying with evil terrorist organizations like Hamas, burning the American flag, or forcibly removing the American flag and replacing it with another, is disgraceful,” deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also mentioned the anti-Israel demonstrations, saying he has never seen an “outburst of antisemitism” like this in his lifetime, and that protests and antisemitic messages are “disgraceful and unacceptable. He also criticized Harris for not being there when Netanyahu arrived to Congress.
“Kamala can’t go there and greet him? That’s not a way to treat an ally,” DeSantis said. “She has not condemned what happened at Union Station.”
Harris was absent from Netanyahu’s address due to a trip to Indianapolis that was scheduled before US President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection bid earlier this week and she became the likely Democratic candidate.
Both Biden and Harris were due to hold separate meetings with Netanyahu later on Thursday, with more protests planned for outside the White House. The prime minister was also set to meet Trump on Friday.
In other acts of protest surrounding Netanyahu’s trip to Washington, anti-Israel activists released maggots, worms and crickets onto a table and carpeting at the Watergate Hotel being used by the visiting delegation.
The Hill reported that the hotel said it had been sanitized after the “unfortunate incident,” which took place on Tuesday.
The pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activists also set off fire alarms at the hotel throughout the night, according to posts on social media, in an attempt to disrupt Netanyahu on the night before his address to Congress.
“There will be no peace, there will be no rest, until the war criminal’s arrest,” the Palestinian Youth Movement wrote in an Instagram post.
The DC Palestinian Youth Movement released maggots and crickets were released throughout the Watergate Hotel where Netanyahu is staying.
The protestors also pulled multiple fire alarms throughout the night.
This is an utter security failure. pic.twitter.com/3O0XbOvoGx
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) July 24, 2024
The protests have drawn condemnation from a number of top lawmakers and figures from both parties, including Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana; Steven Cheung, a spokesman for former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee; Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who is Jewish; and Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
They have condemned the appearance of Hamas symbols and the burning of American flags at the protests. So did Andrew Bates, a spokesman for the White House.
“Identifying with evil terrorist organizations like Hamas, burning the American flag, or forcibly removing the American flag and replacing it with another, is disgraceful,” Bates said in an email. Some protesters ran up the Palestinian flag in place of the American flag.
“Antisemitism and violence are never acceptable. Period,” he added. “Every American has the right to peaceful protest. But shamefully, not everyone demonstrated peacefulness today.”
The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas’s October 7 massacre, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border into Israel by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages, mostly civilians, many amid acts of brutality and sexual assault.
The enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry has said at least 39,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s military offensive. The toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed some 15,000 combatants in battle and some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel during the October 7 attack.
Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip stands at 329.
Dozens of Democratic lawmakers skipped Netanyahu’s speech, expressing dismay over the civilian deaths and the humanitarian crisis from Israel’s campaign in Gaza. Israel says it seeks to minimize civilian casualties and blames Hamas for using Gaza’s civilians as human shields.
Netanyahu’s speech was the Israeli leader’s fourth address to a joint session of Congress. He most recently did so in 2015, when he controversially sought to convince US lawmakers to torpedo negotiations at the time between the Obama administration and Iran over its nuclear program.
Agencies and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
