WASHINGTON, DC – Photos taken by Breitbart News on Sunday show that anti-Israel protesters desecrated statues near the White House gates, as well as the gates’ columns, during Saturday’s protests in the nation’s capital.
Protesters used red paint to mimic bloody handprints on the columns of the north White House gates near the West Wing, while the phrase “Free Palestine” was written above the handprints.
They still had not been cleaned by Monday morning, according to ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce.
The White House gates this morning after passionate protests over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/gVENEMZO5Q
— Mary Bruce (@marykbruce) November 6, 2023
The protesters vandalized the statue of General Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, in Lafayette Park, adjacent to the North Lawn of the White House. Rochambeau led French forces fighting alongside the Continental Army against the British during the siege of York Town in the American Revolution.
“Free Palestine” was written in blood red paint at the base of the monument in cursive, while “Free Gaza” and “Palestine Will Be Free” were etched on higher areas of the monument. The phrase “Fuck Joe Biden” was graffiti Below Rochambeau’s name.
Protesters also covered all four sides of a smaller statue near the Rochambeau statue with anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian graffiti.
Phrases such as “Fuck Israel,” Fuck Biden,” “Death to the USA,” “Tranny Fags 4 Palestine,” “Amerikkka = pigs,” and “Kos Om Israel” were written on the monument. “Kos om Israel” is Arabic for “Your mother’s cunt, Israel.”
Atop the statue was a sticker reading “Community Watch Area” and “Police Not Welcome.”
The sticker is from an organization called CrimethInc, described on its website as “a rebel alliance,” “a banner for anonymous collective action,” and “an international network for aspiring revolutionaries.”
Video captured during the protests Saturday, which NPR notes saw tens of thousands of demonstrators, shows vandals desecrating the Rochambeau Statue. As night fell on Penn Quarter, the protesters began shaking the gates of the White House while holding Palestinian flags and screaming, “You stand with genocide” and “Fucking cowards” at the Secret Service agents on the other side of the fence.
🚨#BREAKING: Pro-Palestinian protesters are now climbing up the on the White house fence as they throw objects at the Secret Service⁰⁰📌#Washington | #DC ⁰⁰Currently, thousands of Pro-Palestine supporters have gathered at the White House after today’s large march against US… pic.twitter.com/dnvjr6bjXz
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) November 5, 2023
They also cheered “Allahu Akbar,” which means “God is Great,” and “We don’t want two states, we want ’48.”
I deleted an earlier post. This protest chant was, ‘We don’t want two states, we want ’48!’ pic.twitter.com/CLS6GNUift
— Steven Nelson (@stevennelson10) November 5, 2023