Anti-Israel and anti-American protesters set an American flag on fire white chanting “burn that sh**” and “Allahu Akbar” outside Union Station Wednesday while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was addressing a joint session of Congress blocks away.
Anti Israel protesters burn the American flags they removed from flag posts at Union Station in DC https://t.co/C7eeionfhI pic.twitter.com/Q8OcYSHvKO
— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) July 24, 2024
Protesters also replaced American flags with Palestinian flags on poles outside the building, a Timcast News video shows.
Several protesters were arrested as their fellow comrades attempted to free them, a video by The Blaze correspondent Julio Rosas shows.
The mob continued to chase police officers to try to free protesters who had been arrested at Union Station. Pepper spray was eventually used to push the crowd back. pic.twitter.com/ztBvpxAVrU
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) July 24, 2024
One protester was carrying a Hamas flag, Fox News reported on-air.
U.S. Capitol Police said they deployed pepper spray against protesters outside the Capitol after the crowds became “violent” during the speech.
On Tuesday night, activists bypassed the security at the Watergate Hotel, where Netanyahu is staying, and released maggots, worms and crickets, according to a spokeswoman for the hotel.
During his speech, Netanyahu condemned the anti-Israel protesters on America’s streets and campuses as “useful idiots for Iran.”
“When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” he said. “Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming ‘Gays for Gaza.’ They might as well hold up signs saying chickens for KFC.”
Protesters chanting “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” have no idea what river or sea they are talking about, Netanyahu said, referencing the popular slogan for the elimination of Israel.
“They not only get an F in geography, they get an F in history,” he said. “For nearly 4,000 years, the Land of Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people. It’s always been our home and will always be our home.”