- Author, Rachel Looker
- Role, BBC News, Washington
Vandals tore posters depicting Israeli hostages from the wall outside a Democratic congressman’s office on Capitol Hill on July 4, his office said Friday.
Congressman Brad Schneider called the vandalism a “heinous act of hate.”
The posters featured photographs of more than 100 people, including eight Americans, who were taken hostage by Hamas during the attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Capitol Police said they were aware of the vandalism incident outside the congressional office and were conducting an investigation.
Mr. Schneider, a pro-Israel Democrat from Illinois, posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) showing the posters torn up and thrown across the hallway.
“This was a shameful act on any day, but especially on July 4, our country’s Independence Day,” he wrote.
“Sadly, it was just one of many hateful, un-American actions that took place across the country on the day we celebrate freedom and democracy.”
The incident occurred less than a week after pro-Palestinian protesters held a nighttime rally outside Schneider’s home in Highland Park, Illinois.
The MP said masked protesters were beating drums, blowing horns and shouting anti-Semitic slogans outside his house.
After several complaints from neighbors, the police dispersed the crowd of about 40 protesters.
“These measures do not promote peace,” said Schneider.
“Instead, they are playing directly into the hands of Hamas terrorists, allowing them to continue to hold hostage not only those they have kidnapped from Israel, but also all civilians in the Gaza Strip.”
The war was sparked by Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, in which Hamas gunmen killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage to Gaza. More than 100 were released during a ceasefire in November.
According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, at least 38,010 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the Israeli offensive.