The wave of pro-Palestinian protests across the U.S. continued over the last week and throughout the weekend, against the backdrop of the successful operation to release four Israeli hostages from Gaza. At a demonstration in front of the White House held on Saturday and attended by thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters, chants could be heard calling for "Death to Israel" and calling for jihad against the country.
Many of the protesters marched with their faces covered in keffiyehs, chanting slogans in support of the terror group Hamas' military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, including "Kill another soldier now" and cheers for Hezbollah to "Kill another Zionist now," accompanied by calls for an "intifada," or violent uprising.
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Statue fitted with Palestinian flag as part of the protest
(Photo: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Thousands of demonstrators held a long red ribbon while chanting slogans against U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration for its support of Israel. "From DC to Palestine, we are the red line," the protesters shouted.
Others were seen taking over a statue in front of the White House, with one masked protester burning a small U.S. flag and another, wearing a green Hamas headband, holding a bloodstained mask resembling the incumbent president.
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Pro-Palestinian protestors with defaced statues
(Photo: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
In another video recorded on Saturday, hundreds of protesters were seen vandalizing a statue, spraying anti-Israel and anti-U.S. graffiti, and throwing paint and objects on it while a police officer attempted to protect the statue. Other protesters accused Biden of lying about his "red line" and saying "Bombing children is not self-defense."
The clips and images drew harsh reactions against the protesters for vandalizing the statues and America's liberal values and national symbols. People called on the police to prosecute the protesters, imprison them, and take severe action against their families.