Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) still has another month to go before the May 7 primary to officially become the Republican nominee to replace retiring Republican Sen. Mike Braun, who is running for governor. Banks has been campaigning for over a year now, and his Monday event with Libs of TikTok's Chaya Raichik was no different, even as a dangerous Antifa cell in Indiana threatened violence.
Ultimately, the event still took place, as Banks had said it would, though pro-Hamas protesters still shouted disruptions at the Indiana University-Bloomington pizza lunch. "How many kids did you kill today," shouted one agitator. According to reporting from the Indiana Daily Student, the disruptors were told to leave and had also been escorted out and in handcuffs.
They actually ended up handcuffing and perp walking some of the students who protested the event.
— Bryce Greene (@TheGreeneBJ) April 1, 2024
(Posted with permission) https://t.co/vQAyyAW9K8 pic.twitter.com/oKHekGPqpK
Radical students tried to intimidate @Jim_Banks & @ChayaRaichik10/@libsoftiktok from coming to visit IU College Republicans today. They didn’t back down & spoke hard truths on campus 🇺🇸 https://t.co/AS7tCLhTzI
— Landon Porter (@Landon_Porter_) April 1, 2024
@RepJimBanks and @libsoftiktok standing up up to unhinged protestors at IU. #Trump2024 pic.twitter.com/KnzVCE5jUp
— Carlin Yoder (@carlinyoder) April 1, 2024
"If leftists protested jihadism in Gaza, they’d suffer the same fate as the thousands of Israeli victims of Hamas terror. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about that in America. Radical pro-Hamas activists have the same First Amendment rights as other Americans, even though they despise our country and the freedoms we enjoy. We won’t back down," Banks shared in a statement for Townhall.
The College Republicans at Indiana University also shared to their social media accounts that they "SUCCESSFULLY hosted" the event.
Despite numerous attempts to SHUT DOWN the event, College Republicans SUCCESSFULLY hosted Jim Banks and Chaya Raichik today! pic.twitter.com/lFiB8Q7VBT
— College Republicans at IU (@iucollegegop) April 1, 2024
Not only did pro-Hamas agitators seek to disrupt the event as it took place, they also held an "emergency rally." A post shared to the IU Alumni for Palestine Instagram page included Banks' and Raichik's mouths scribbled out in red. "Congressman Jim Banks is a fascist AND Chaya Raichik is a professional anti-LGBTQ+ bigot," the group claimed.
Indianapolis City Councilman Jesse Brown claimed he "generally" agreed about free speech, but claimed Banks and Raichick "opted out of being legitimate guests on a college campus."
@JesseForIndy Indianapolis City Councilman Jesse Brown believes that his views are the only views that are OK to speak about and has actively called for violent protest again @libsoftiktok @Jim_Banks
— Michael Hartzler (@MichaelHar21269) April 1, 2024
Indianapolis and Marion Co folks. This is the Marxist you elected.
Enjoy!! pic.twitter.com/bdc2S9jq9u
Earlier on Monday, Andy Ngo had shared calls to action made by an account known as Red Orchestra_AFA, which has since protected their posts on X. "The cell is also closely connected to the Torch Antifa network, which feature some of the most violent Antifa groups in the U.S., like Rose City Antifa," Ngo pointed out.
According to screenshots that Ngo shared, though, the account had sent out a call to action declaring "You know what to do." The post had also referred to Raichik as a "homophobic bigot" and Banks as a "far right bigot."
"You know what to do"
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) April 1, 2024
An Indiana cell of Antifa @redorchestraAFA is urging violence against an April 1 speaking event featuring Indiana congressman @RepJimBanks and @libsoftiktok. The cell is part of a formal, organized network of Antifa cells that use the RiseUp communication… pic.twitter.com/5oSgqw2xOF
Bryce Greene, who, according to the IDS report is the graduate adviser for the Palestinian Solidarity Committee at IU, put out several more posts, including one downplaying the call to action and threats of violence.
"Didn't realize that she actually claimed that Antifa had threatened violence," Greene claimed in a quoted repost of Ngo. "The 'threats' came from some account with 1500 followers posting a joke," the post continued, using scare quotes.
It was just one of many posts in a thread about the event. Another one emphasized how "stupid" the event was, referring to Raichik as "literally just a white woman. Complaining that schools are too woke, and mask wearing."
Forecasters regard the Senate race as being "Solid" or "Safe Republican," giving Banks the best possible chance to win in November.
One of Banks' few primary opponents, John Rust, briefly ran against Banks but was removed from the ballot by the state election board and the Indiana Supreme Court.
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