Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) strongly condemned the anti-Israel protests that occurred in Washington DC during and after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech before a joint session of Congress yesterday.
After a photographed emerged of a protester calling for a "Final Solution" against Zionists, Rep. Torres wrote on X: " The Free Palestine movement is not about freeing Palestinians. It is about pursuing a 'final solution' against the world’s only Jewish State, which is home to half of the world’s Jewish population."
He added, "When antisemites reveal their antisemitism by calling for a genocide against Jews, believe them."
In the photograph, a protester can be seen holding a sign depicting a nuclear explosion rising from an Israel flag along with the words, "Allah is gathering all the Zionists for the 'FINAL SOLUTION.'"
During the protests on Wednesday, anti-Israel activists attempted to storm the capital, tore down and burned American flags, and defaced historical monuments and statues. An effigy of Netanyahu was also burned.
The violent protests were condemned by other Democratic leaders, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who called the violent acts committed by anti-Israel activists "despicable" and "unpatriotic."
"I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews. Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation," she said.
"I condemn the burning of the American flag. That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America. It should never be desecrated in that way. I support the right to peacefully protest, but let’s be clear: Antisemitism, hate and violence of any kind have no place in our nation," the Vice President's statement concluded.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also condemned the protesters, stating, “Hamas is a terrorist organization. Exalting them and burning the American flag is disgraceful and wrong, and defacing public property is illegal. Hateful and antisemitic messages and threats against Jews have no place in America and must be universally condemned.”