Over the weekend, thousands gathered outside the White House in the United States to protest against the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The demonstrators were vocal in their calls for freedom for Palestine, with chants of 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!' echoing through the crowd.
However, amidst the calls for freedom, there were also concerning chants and acts of vandalism reported. Anti-Israel protesters were heard chanting slogans that some interpreted as a call for the elimination of the state of Israel. Statues in Lafayette Park were defaced with messages such as 'Glory to the resistance,' a term often associated with Hamas, the militant group in control of Gaza.
One particularly alarming moment involved chants in support of Hezbollah, a group designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and Israel. The crowd could be heard chanting 'Hezbollah, Hezbollah, kill another Zionist now,' along with calls for jihad and martyrdom.
In response to the rhetoric and actions witnessed during the protests, the White House issued a statement emphasizing the importance of peaceful expression of views. President Biden's administration condemned any form of violence, attacks on law enforcement, anti-Semitism, calls for violence against Jews, vandalism, or support for terrorist organizations like Hamas.
The statement reiterated the President's stance that such behaviors are repugnant, dangerous, and contrary to the values of the country. It emphasized the right to peaceful protest while denouncing any form of incitement to violence or support for extremist groups.
