Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the White House on Saturday night, resulting in the vandalization of a portion of the White House fence with red paint. According to reports, some of the protesters shook the gate to one of the executive mansion entrances, and a chant of “F–k Joe Biden” was heard among the crowd.
Later in the evening, some protesters attempted to climb the White House’s wrought-iron gates.
In the vicinity of Lafayette Park, the General Marquis de Lafayette Statue was defaced with graffiti and adorned with Palestinian flags, as shared on social media.
The demonstrators rallied against the Biden administration’s support of Israel during the conflict with Hamas. Chants of “F–k Joe Biden” were heard among the protesters, with others passionately chanting “Free, free Palestine” in unison.
Additional chants included “Allahu akbar” (God is great) and a call for an immediate cease-fire, echoing the sentiments of many individuals worldwide who have been advocating for peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The U.S. Secret Service reported that they successfully addressed the situation without any incidents. Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, stated, “Demonstrators are beginning to disperse from the area, and the attempted gate trespass from earlier was handled without incident by Secret Service Uniformed Division officers and support teams. As of now, no arrests have been made by Secret Service personnel.”
The Israel-Palestine conflict, which started on October 7 with a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, has led to the loss of thousands of lives on both sides. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators expressed their concerns and hopes for change in the perception of the conflict.
“We came here to let our voices be heard and our hearts and hoping we’ll change the way people see this conflict,” said demonstrator Manar Ghanayem to the Washington Post. She emphasized the importance of basic human rights and expressed sorrow for the loss of life and suffering experienced during the conflict.
Ron Halber, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Group, responded to the protests by characterizing the demonstrators as supporters of a “homicidal terrorist organization” and expressed concern about the loss of life and the taking of civilians hostage. He believed the protesters were misinformed and misguided, ultimately aligning themselves with terrorists rather than supporting a democracy defending itself.
BREAKING: Pro-Palestine protesters appear to be threatening to storm through the White House fences and are threatening Secret Service agents.
Multiple video angles show hundreds of angry protesters up against the White House fence.
They also threw red paint on the fence as… pic.twitter.com/zt3092X79x
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 5, 2023
