Hundreds of keffiyeh-clad protesters expressed support for terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah at a demonstration near the White House on Saturday.
“Kill another soldier now,” “Kill another Zionist now” and “Hezbollah, Hezbollah,” were just some of the bloodthirsty chants heard at the Washington, D.C., rally.
The theme of the protest was “From D.C. to Palestine, we are the red line: Stop the Genocide,” referring to Biden’s statement in March that Israel going into Rafah would be a “red line.”
Arguing that Biden has failed to enforce that red line, one of the organizers, ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), posted on its website:
“Biden can’t draw the line, but we can. On June 8, we will come together from across the country and surround the White House. Wearing red, and raising our demands high, we will show the world that we are the red line. We demand an immediate ceasefire, an immediate end to the siege on Gaza, the freedom of all Palestinian prisoners, and an end to the occupation of Palestine,” the statement read.
One protester, in a Hamas headband, carried a bloodied face mask representing President Joe Biden. A masked protester behind him burned an American flag.
Other organizers of the protest included Shut It Down For Palestine, a coalition of groups, among them ANSWER and The People’s Forum, all three of which have been linked to Chinese Communist Party supporter Roy Singham, a U.S. millionaire who has been singled out as a key figure funding anti-Israel protests.
Other protest “endorsers” listed on ANSWER’s website included CODEPINK, Jewish Voice for Peace-NYC and Al-Awda.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim Brotherhood group, posted separately on its website encouraging U.S. Muslims to join the protests.
Protesters carried signs calling for “Intifada,” an end to “all U.S. aid for Israel” and to “Free all Palestinian prisoners” (most Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are held for violent crimes).
Another read: “‘Jihad of Victory or Martyrdom’ Al Qassam.” The Al-Qassam Brigades are the “military” wing of Hamas.
Speakers chanted, “No more money for Israel’s crimes” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
One speaker, after calling for a “Zionist-free Palestine,” said, “We are the true moral compass of the present and future.”
Jill Stein, the Green Party’s presidential candidate, told the protesters, “History will remember every one of us. History and humanity needs every one of us to keep standing up. We will not allow the torture and murder of children on an industrial scale to be normalized.”
Protesters attempted to encircle the White House, which had set up barricades in advance.
The protesters turned violent, defacing statues and targeting National Park Service rangers, throwing objects at one, and shouting at him “piggy, piggy, oink, oink,” and “F*** you, fascist.”
A National Park Service spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday that the agency’s staff was “still evaluating the extent of the damage from Saturday’s demonstration and march around the White House.
“Notable damage includes graffiti, damage to some structures and damage to park infrastructure in Lafayette Park,” according to the statement.