On Wednesday, pro-Palestine demonstrators in Washington, DC, took down the USA flags at Union Station and replaced them with smaller Palestinian flags. In response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, DC, the demonstrators assembled.
The Hill received confirmation from a US Park Police captain that two of the three American flags that demonstrators had taken down had been set on fire. Road closures around Union Square and the Capitol occurred as a result of the event. A Netanyahu effigy was also set ablaze by protestors, who demanded a halt to US military assistance to Israel in light of the current Gaza conflict.
USA Flags replaced with Palestinian Flags; Watch out the video…#USAFlags #PalestinianFlags #USA #PowerCorridors pic.twitter.com/pxvOTqF2Es
— POWER CORRIDORS (@power_corridors) July 26, 2024
Protesters React to Netanyahu’s U.S.A Visit with Demonstrations and Controversial Acts
Breaking: anti-Israel protestors have dyed the U.S. Capitol fountain red.
This will have zero impact on PM Netanyahu and only effect the maintenance crew and taxpayers who will have to pay and work to clean the foundation. pic.twitter.com/z5Z2rKwto6
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) July 24, 2024
Online videos showed the mob chanting as the flags burnt, and some of the clips had Netanyahu’s effigy burning while the demonstrators yelled “Free Palestine.” In addition, the demonstrators demanded that Netanyahu be charged with war crimes and had numerous fountains on Capitol Hill turned red. They also projected slogans onto buildings.
NEW: Pro-Palestine protesters filmed dragging and assaulting a police officer on the bricks outside of Union Station.
The protesters were also filmed replacing the U.S. flag with the Palestinian flag before setting fire to the U.S. flag.
U.S. Capitol Police was forced to issue… pic.twitter.com/blEEXWSW5y
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 24, 2024
Also Read: Hours after Hamas accepts truce proposal, Israel begins military operation in Rafah
Videos that have gone popular on social media claim that the night before Netanyahu’s visit to Congress, fire alarms were set off to wake him up and that maggots had been released on his table at the Watergate Hotel. This fury coincides with Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday, during which he sought to fortify American backing for Israel’s operations against Hamas and other terrorist organizations supported by Iran. Numerous well-known Democrats boycotted his speech, which drew thousands of demonstrators to Capitol Hill.
Netanyahu Emphasizes U.S.-Israeli Unity and Plans High-Profile Meetings
Reiterating the significance of US-Israeli unity throughout his speech, Netanyahu said, “When we stand together, something truly great happens: we win, and they lose.” To demonstrate his support for the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas, he wore a yellow pin. Netanyahu will see Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday after meeting with President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on Thursday.
