House Republicans replace US flags torched by protesters at Union Station

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter
Protesters burn an American flag outside of Union Station following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address during a joint session of congress, in Washington, D.C. on July 24, 2024.
Protesters burn an American flag outside of Union Station following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address during a joint session of congress, in Washington, D.C. on July 24, 2024. | Matthew Hatcher / AFP via Getty Images

A group of Republican members of Congress hoisted American flags outside Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Thursday night after violent protesters took down and burned the flags and raised Palestinian flags in their place earlier in the day.

"Earlier today, pro-Hamas protesters took down the American flags at Union Station, burned them and raised Palestinian flags. Tonight, we righted their wrong. American flags are once again flying over Union Station. We will not let the terrorist mob win," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., tweeted, along with a video of the lawmakers saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, was among the congressmen who restored the flags and tweeted footage of the event.

"We raised the flags back up," he wrote. "Yesterday, terrorist sympathizers tore down the American flags at Union Station, burned them, and raised the Palestinian flag in its place. After votes tonight, a group of Members took our flag back and raised it."

Footage circulated widely on social media Wednesday showing a large group of pro-Palestinian protesters lowering the three American flags outside Union Station, burning at least one of them and raising Palestinian flags in their place while shouting "Allahu Akbar!"

Protesters also desecrated the nearby Columbus Memorial and Freedom Bell with graffiti expressing profane anti-Zionist and pro-Hamas messages. The Freedom Bell is a smaller-scale replica of Philadelphia's Liberty Bell made in 1975 for the U.S. bicentennial.

The defaced bell and statues were being pressure-washed on Thursday morning.

The swarms of protesters had attempted to march toward the U.S. Capitol ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint session of Congress. Police prevented them from nearing the building, according to The Associated Press.

After police blocked the protesters, they went through the Capitol Hill neighborhood and eventually wound up at the iconic train station. Police deployed pepper spray after the protesters became "violent" and uncooperative, the Capitol Police said.

The Capitol Police also noted that the flags at Union Station were not within their jurisdiction.

"No flags under our protection have been removed or vandalized. Our officers will enforce the law if anyone attempts to remove a flag in USCP jurisdiction. To clear up inaccurate reporting," Capitol Police said.

D.C. police and Capitol Police arrested 15 people, while the U.S. Park Police arrested eight people, according to The Washington Post.

The Union Station protest drew bipartisan condemnation.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., condemned the vandals as "pro-Hamas lunatics" and noted that he "introduced a bill to deport any foreigner involved in violence and vandalism on federal property."

"The Jew hate and anti-American garbage coming out of college campuses this spring didn't end with the last day of school," Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., said. "College presidents, you're on notice: Enforce your codes of conduct from day one of the fall semester."

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the presumptive 2024 Democratic nominee, took nearly 24 hours to condemn the violent protests in a statement Thursday,  describing them as "despicable acts by unpatriotic protestors [sic] and dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric."

As of Thursday morning, President Joe Biden did not offer comment on the incident.

The protest comes as Israel continues its Gaza military offensive to eliminate Hamas, the terror group responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks in Southern Israel that killed hundreds of civilians, including 31 Americans. Hamas has run the Gaza Strip since 2007.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry reports over 38,000 people have died in Gaza since the offensive began. That figure doesn't differentiate between combatants and civilians. The Israeli government has long accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields. 

Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to jon.brown@christianpost.com

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