Per Reuters, Vice President Kamala Harris joined Democratic and Republican leaders in condemning protesters who burned American flags and sprayed pro-Hamas graffiti outside Washington’s Union Station on Wednesday. The protests coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday,
The Vice President said in a statement issued from her office: “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. 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.”
Protesters marched near the U.S. Capitol building, condemning U.S. military aid to Israel during its war with Hamas militants in Gaza. Following Netanyahu’s speech, some of the demonstrators gathered in front of Union Station hoisting Palestinian flags outside the train station as they burned American flags and spray painted the words “Hamas is coming” and “Free Gaza” on a large monument. One American flag was set ablaze under an effigy of Netanyahu. Police used pepper spray on some of the thousands of demonstrators present, with U.S. Park Police sharing in a statement that at least eight people were arrested outside the train station after failing to disperse Wednesday afternoon. The crowd, police said, “damaged and destroyed park property, including vandalizing statues and fountains, tearing down and burning flags, and starting several small fires.”
The actions of the protesters outside Union Station also drew strong criticism from Republican U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and Hakeem Jeffries, the chamber’s Democratic leader. Harris is now the likely Democratic nominee for president after President Biden dropped his reelection bid.
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