White House condemns pro-Hamas agitators in DC: 'Disgraceful'
The White House condemned the anti-Israel agitators in Washington, D.C., who have ripped down and burned American flags while chanting "Allahu Akbar."
The White House condemned the anti-Israel agitators who descended on Washington, D.C., Wednesday in protest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress.
"Identifying with evil terrorist organizations like Hamas, burning the American flag, or forcibly removing the American flag and replacing it with another, is disgraceful," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a comment to Fox News Digital Wednesday evening.
"Antisemitism and violence are never acceptable. Period. Every American has the right to peaceful protest. But shamefully, not everyone demonstrated peacefulness today."
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Hundreds of pro-Hamas protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday where they were seen lighting American flags on fire, scrawling graffiti outside Union Station and chanting "Allahu Akbar."
Agitators at Union Station, which is located near the U.S. Capitol, burned an American flag and vandalized a statue with the words "Hamas is coming." They also removed American flags and replaced them with Palestinian flags instead.
Netanyahu delivered an address to Congress on Wednesday amid his nation's war against Hamas, which has raged since October. Amid his remarks, Netanyahu tore into cease-fire demonstrations that have played out across the U.S. since the war began.
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"I have a message for these protesters. 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," Netanyahu said.
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"Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming gays for Gaza. They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC.’ These protesters chant ‘From the river to the sea.’ But many don't have a clue what river and what sea they're talking about."
The White House's condemnation of the agitators comes just ahead of President Biden addressing the nation following him bowing out of the 2024 race amid mounting concerns over his mental acuity.