Anti-Israel protesters on Wednesday demonstrated in Washington, DC, against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before Congress. The protesters were seen burning US flags and then raising smaller Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) flags in their place. Videos posted online showed crowds chanting as the flags burned, while others videos showed an effigy of Netanyahu burning as protesters chant, “Free Palestine.” Protesters said they briefly scuffled with police, prompting US Park Police to revoke the permit for the protest and order protesters to leave the area shortly after 4:00 p.m., reported The Hill . The crowd mostly dispersed at that point, but not before they had taken down the US flags, burned two of them, and covered a bell and statues outside Union Station with anti-Israel graffiti. A US Park Police captain confirmed to The Hill that two of the three flags taken down from the poles outside Union Station were burned by protesters. D.C. Metropolitan Police said six protesters were arrested at the scene. At least five protesters were also arrested in the House gallery during Netanyahu’s speech, and another five were arrested while marching on Constitution Ave. Earlier in the day, thousands demonstrated less than half a mile from the House chamber, calling Netanyahu a “butcher” and “genocidal maniac” who was “making a fool of the United States.” On Tuesday, a day before Netanyahu’s speech, hundreds of Jewish protesters demonstrated at the US Capitol against US weapons sales to Israel. The protesters gathered inside the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building, which houses offices of House of Representatives members. Related articles: Barnard College expels student for pro-Palestinian Arab protest Anti-Israel protest in NYC marks Nasrallah’s funeral Student suspended over protest at Israeli history class Anti-Israel activists protest, disrupt a class The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and included rabbis, students, Israeli Americans and descendants of Holocaust survivors, according to The Washington Post . After about 20 minutes, Capitol Police told protesters to stop demonstrating. While some protesters left, many remained. About 10 minutes later, officers began clearing the area, using zip ties to remove protesters from the rotunda.
