House

Rep. Meeks’s New York home vandalized

The home of Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) in Queens, N.Y., was vandalized with derogatory statements over the weekend, his office confirmed to The Hill.

New York Police Department officers were called to the home for a report of a “criminal mischief incident” and discovered several statements written in chalk and on posters in the driveway, police told The Hill.

Authorities did not confirm the owner of the home, though Meeks’s office confirmed his property was vandalized.

No one was home at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported, police added. The investigation remains ongoing, and no arrests were made as of Monday morning.

The New York Post reported the statements included the phrases “Free Palestine,” “war criminal” and “blood on your hands,” which were also shown in photographs posted by the outlet.

It comes days after Meeks, the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was one of two key Democrats to approve the sale of U.S. weapons, including F-15 fighter jets, to Israel after months of delay on the arms transfer, as The Washington Post reported.

Meeks told The Post he has been in “close touch” with the Biden administration about the arms package, including about his concerns about the war, and he understands the fighter jets won’t be delivered for years. He added he supports Israel’s right to defend itself.

Democrats have been increasingly frustrated with the war in Gaza, where more than 37,000 Palestinians have died since early October as Israel continues its military campaign to destroy Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S.

The militant group launched a surprise assault against Israel on Oct. 7 that left about 1,200 people dead, sparking the nearly nine-month war.