Republicans seized immediately on images of burning U.S. flags and vandalism at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station following Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech as evidence of widespread antisemitism and a harbinger of what can happen under Democratic control of government.
“Pro-terror, anti-Israel agitators are vandalizing federal property, removing American flags, and replacing them with Palestinian flags steps away from the United States Capitol,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), a member of Senate GOP leadership, on X. “This is inexcusable, and I expect them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Hamas flags, slogans about killing Jews, harassment of @CapitolPolice officers, vandalism, burnt American flags, & hanged effigies of PM Netanyahu. These are just some of the appalling scenes at protests around the U.S. Capitol today,” wrote Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
McCaul added: “This vitriolic behavior goes beyond peaceful protests and free speech. It will only further incite violence. Our nation’s leaders on both sides of the aisle must fully denounce this ugly, pro-Hamas extremism and make clear that antisemitism has no place in America.”
The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that “no flags under our protection have been removed or vandalized” though non-Capitol Police officers were seen making mass arrests near Union Station after the speech.
Other GOP lawmakers tried to tie the protests and vandalism — without evidence — to Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic nominee for president.
“The people Kamala Harris is courting burn the American Flag,” wrote Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.). “Shame on them.”
However, it wasn’t just Republicans criticizing the protesters.
“I never imagined seeing the flag of a terror group holding eight Americans hostage for 292 days waved in the streets of our nation’s Capitol,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) wrote alongside an image of a protester waving the Hamas flag.
“The Jew hate and anti-American garbage coming out of college campuses this spring didn’t end with the last day of school,” wrote Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass). “College presidents, you’re on notice: Enforce your codes of conduct from day one of the fall semester.”
