For hardly the first time in recent months, agitators illegally protesting at Cannon House building were arrested as they staged die-ins and chanted pro-Hamas slogans of "ceasefire now." Fox News has reported that those arrested were wearing shirts from a group known as United We Dream. As the report mentioned:
Footage captured by Fox News at the scene then showed numerous protesters, one by one, being detained and led away from the area by Capitol Police. Others left after heeding the warnings.
Many of the demonstrators were wearing pro-Palestinian apparel and shirts from the group United We Dream, which describes itself on its website as the "largest immigrant youth-led network in the country" that is "leading the fight for the dignity and respect of all immigrants.
Protesters were heard chanting "ceasefire now!" prior to the arrests, while others were silent.
The United We Dream X account had posted and reposted numerous photos and clips of the die-in and arrests, One post even sought to connect the crisis at the southern border to the Israel-Hamas conflict. "The struggle against genocide and militarism in Palestine is connected to the struggle against militarism here in the U.S. and at our southern border!" read one post. A watermelon emoji was also included, which has been used as a pro-Palestinian symbol in light of the conflict.
One of the groups they reposted was the far-left, anti-Zionist group known as IfNotNow, which as Mia has covered, is Soros-funded. IfNotNow was one of the pro-Hamas groups that illegally stormed Cannon last October calling for a ceasefire.
United We Dream wasn't the only group on Capitol Hill spewing pro-Hamas rhetoric, though. As we covered on Wednesday, CODEPINK had announced that they would be partnering with actress Susan Sarandon to stage a sit-in at the offices of Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). The office of Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) also confirmed to Townhall that those with CODEPINK tried to physically push their way into his office. U.S. Capitol Police had to get involved.
"This morning, a group of antisemitic protestors attempted to physically force themselves into my office. I won’t waver in my support for Israel, nor will I stop fighting to address antisemitism. We are grateful to the Capitol Police for their swift response in ensuring our safety," Lawler told Townhall in a statement on Thursday.
None of the three lawmakers would meet with the agitators. Torres had put out a post on Wednesday night declaring as much.
He also called Sarandon out for her remarks from late last year when she said that "there are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country."
CODEPINK called all three members out in video clips posted to social media and/or through a press release sent out Thursday night. In her remarks, Sarandon expressed support for pro-Hamas narratives such as calling for a ceasefire. CODEPINK is also demanding that funding to the UNRWA be restored, after the Biden administration announced a temporary pause on new grants because of ties to Hamas.
In her remarks from the halls of Congress, Sarandon focused on the money Torres and Jeffries have received from groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The actress claimed the lack of willingness from the lawmakers to engage with her "makes it seem as if they're afraid to know the truth of what's actually going on," as she also claimed "I guess their AIPAC donors make that very difficult."
Despite speaking about "the truth," Sarandon, by offering "there's never been a peace that's been attained through violence and demanding "we have to have a permanent ceasefire," forgets that a ceasefire benefits only Hamas. The terrorist organization is determined to eradicate Israel and will stop at nothing to do so, which is why they must be destroyed. It was also Hamas that has broken ceasefires, including the one in place before the October 7 attack against Israel, and the temporary one recently in place last November for hostage negotiations.
Sarandon, referencing the charges brought by South Africa to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also accused Israel of committing "genocide."
"We have to have a permanent ceasefire and save the lives of all those people that are now and save the lives of all those people that are now just being shot at like fish in a barrel."
— CODEPINK (@codepink) February 15, 2024
– @SusanSarandon in Congress today calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/VwSvxvHxdU
A Thursday night press release from CODEPINK further targeted Torres, Jeffries, and AIPAC, using problematic language to do so. This included using antisemitic tropes to claim that AIPAC was donating "blood money."
"Despite overwhelming public support for peace, both representatives opt to ignore their constituents' voices, and instead prioritize the interests of pro-Israel groups who have poured over a million dollars into their coffers," the press release read at one point, referring to Torres and Jeffries.
As the press release went on to read, with added emphasis:
With Israel's aggression escalating, evidenced by the recent massacre in Rafah, Sarandon and the rest of the world want to know: How much longer will these AIPAC-backed representatives dance to the tune of special interests, forsaking the lives of innocents for blood money?
"Our elected officials have turned a deaf ear to the cries of the people," CODEPINK’S Jodie Evans declared. "Their wallets may be fat with AIPAC cash, but their moral bankruptcy is on full display."
In contrast, the press release referred to Squad members Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Cori Bush (D-MO) as "beacons of hope."
The group had been disrupting Capitol Hill on Wednesday as well, where they celebrated Valentine's Day to call for the release of jailed Palestinians, many of whom are convicted terrorists and murderers, though CODEPINK sees them as "political prisoners." The group even posted photos and video clips of children being used for such propaganda.
CODEPINK also disrupted a House hearing and even expressed support for Iran-backed Houthis who have targeted American ships.
Thursday was a bad day to be supporting anything to do with the UN. Not only is the UNRWA that Sarandon and others demand funding for tied to Hamas, but Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations Martin Griffiths claimed on Wednesday that "Hamas is not a terrorist group."
In addition to posting their thanks for Lawler, AIPAC called to mind Griffiths' remarks and quoted White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby from Thursday's press briefing.
"Hamas is a terrorist organization. We’ve said so. It is. It just is. And you don’t have to look any further than what they did on the 7th of October to see it in stark terms. And, my goodness, take a look at their manifesto, even the one that’s so-called watered down in 2017. There’s no doubt they just want to wipe Israel off the face of the map. This is a terrorist organization, pure and simple. Period," Kirby insisted, though he also told a reporter he did not see a reason to get in touch with Griffiths, since "we have made very clear our views of what Hamas is."
As we covered on Thursday, such comments from Griffiths were forcefully condemned by Israel, and people have once more called for defunding the UN as a result.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member