Staff Reports
Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, has called on the Biden administration to take action against pro-Palestinian protesters who caused damage and threw objects at a park ranger during a demonstration near the White House. The protesters, participating in the Answer Coalition’s “Stop the Genocide in Gaza” rally, defaced statues at Lafayette Park with anti-Israel and anti-Biden messages and directed vulgar language at the park ranger.
Senator Cotton criticized the Biden administration for not enforcing federal law against the vandals and for what he sees as a lack of support for Israel amid the conflict with Hamas. He highlighted the protesters’ actions as a violation of federal law and expressed his disbelief at the lack of arrests or prosecutions for these violations.
Sen. Tom Cotton calls on Biden to charge pro-Hamas 'lunatics' who defaced D.C. statues https://t.co/ubknYDDGOV
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) June 9, 2024
The demonstration, which commemorated the “54th anniversary of the occupation of Gaza,” drew thousands of protesters and included speeches and a march around the White House. Some of the chants and actions from the protesters were explicit and violent, with calls for the killing of Zionists and the display of a mask of President Biden with fake blood on it.
Senator Cotton stated that he plans to introduce legislation to impose harsher penalties for such behavior and expressed his concern that the pro-Hamas, anti-American sentiment might influence U.S. policy towards Israel.
In addition to the protest in Washington, D.C., hundreds also attended an anti-Israel march in Los Angeles, as part of a broader series of pro-Palestinian protests following the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians.
The damage caused by the protesters at Lafayette Park included defacing statues of prominent figures from the American Revolutionary War. The event has prompted Senator Cotton to take action and challenge the Biden administration’s response to the situation.
