A large crowd of pro-Hamas protesters marched to the White House on Saturday evening and smeared fake blood on the northwest gates. Chants of “Allahu Akbar!” were heard, echoing the refrain of Hamas terrorists who killed over 1,400 Israelis in attacks.
Shockingly, the protesters stormed the fences along the White House perimeter and waved Palestinian flags through the openings into the grounds. Typically people breaching the perimeter are arrested, but the crowd seemed in control. Video shows some Secret Service agents shooing people from the fence, but minimal effort to stop the mob defacing the White House with red paint.
The protest began at Freedom Plaza, supposedly to call for a ceasefire. But it quickly devolved into chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and displays of antisemitic signs. DC landmarks were covered in pro-Hamas messages.
Marching down Pennsylvania Avenue, many vandalized buildings with graffiti. One message read “Death to Israel” and “Glory to our Martyrs,” among other antisemitic graffiti.
This DC protest was one of many pro-Hamas rallies globally. In London, police told veterans to remove Union Jack flags as Palestinian banners passed. In France, crowds shouted, “Israel assassin! Macron accomplice!”
Scenes like this repeated worldwide, but the White House incident was uniquely shocking. The People’s House was debased publicly, likely by illegal immigrants or visa holders. DC’s college population probably bolstered the antisemitic sentiment.
Regardless of who’s in office, the White House represents all Americans. Seeing angry mobs attack it is disturbing. Free speech is one thing, but allowing this raises questions. What will be done about it?
Advocates say these protests showcase anti-Israel bias. They argue Hamas is a terrorist group, so supporting them promotes antisemitism and extremism. Israel is defending itself against constant rocket attacks on civilians.
Critics counter that Palestinians are oppressed and mistreated. They say protests aim to promote human rights, not antisemitism. Hamas’ actions are wrong, but so are Israeli policies like settlements and disproportionate force, they argue.
The White House’s NW entrance has been smeared with red paint and protesters are pushing on gate #March4Palestine pic.twitter.com/D4cFNOCyiU
— Steven Nelson (@stevennelson10) November 4, 2023
President Biden was away for the weekend. But this incident happened on his watch. Many will see it as a sign of weakness and a green light for extremism. They expect a forceful response from the administration, including arrests for vandalism and added White House security.
This event will further inflame political tensions. Many Republicans will blast Biden as soft on terror and letting antisemitism go unchecked. Democrats will likely downplay the incident and say protests came from fringe elements.
Author: Blake Ambrose
