White House condemns protesters for burning American flags in DC

The White House condemned what it called “disgraceful” protests outside Union Station Wednesday in Washington, D.C., while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave an address to lawmakers at the U.S. Capitol.

“Identifying with evil terrorist organizations like Hamas, burning the American flag, or forcibly removing the American flag and replacing it with another, is disgraceful,” deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement.

“Antisemitism and violence are never acceptable. Period,” Bates added. “Every American has the right to peaceful protest. But shamefully, not everyone demonstrated peacefulness today.”

Protesters took down an American flag and replaced it with a Palestinian flag Wednesday, and at one point burned the U.S. flag before someone ran into the crowd and snatched it off the crowd.

Inside the Capitol, Netanyahu used part of his nearly hour-long speech to denounce the protesters outside and on college campuses earlier this year, accusing his critics of standing “with evil” and saying they should be “ashamed of themselves.”  

Republicans and Democrats have both condemned the anti-Israel demonstrations in Washington, as Netanyahu spoke on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. A group of House Republicans restored the U.S. flags around Union Station, and former President Trump used the incident to renew his push for jail sentences for those that desecrate American flags.

President Biden has sought to balance what he’s described as “ironclad” support for Israel with a call for the Israeli government to do more to protect civilians in Gaza. He has also condemned vandalism and anti-Jewish rhetoric in protests across the country over Israel’s handling of the war.

D.C. Metropolitan Police said six protesters were arrested at the scene. At least five protesters were also arrested in the House gallery during the prime minister’s speech, and another five were arrested while marching on Constitution Ave.

Palestinian health authorities have said that more than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s military campaign there in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, which killed more than 1,000 people.