The assault on the Capitol by hundreds of people to demand a ceasefire in Gaza was organized by two anti-Israeli organizations linked to the radical left. The raid also allegedly had the support of several Democratic members of Congress who are part of the most extreme group in the party, known as "The Squad." Several Republicans have demanded an investigation and that the same charges used to convict participants in the Jan. 6 riots be applied to the dozens of detained protesters from the pro-Palestine group. Marjorie Taylor Greene shared a story on social media of how she was harassed by a group of protesters who were part of a message thread called "Global Intifada," which allegedly featured an attorney from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), an organization with ties to Antifa.
That’s right and it’s already under investigation.
Global Intifada means global Arab uprising and rebellions
SPLC attorney was also involved with Antifa group in Atlanta Stop Cop City.
Tlaib, Omar, Bush, and AOC brought in the radical violent left today right in Cannon. https://t.co/tBOEQx633v
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 19, 2023
Katrina Bleckley, link between Global Intifada and groups associated with Antifa
In the image shared by Taylor Greene, the name of Katrina Bleckley, an SPLC lawyer, is clearly seen. This progressive organization, which pursues legal action against hate crimes and condemns alleged domestic terrorists, has been linked to Antifa and the Stop Cop City movement from Atlanta, which has carried out violent acts and raids which included the use of weapons to paralyze the construction of a police training facility in the city. In fact, one of the organization's lawyers, Tom Jurgens, was arrested for his participation in these incidents.
"Ngo says there’s a symbiotic relationship between antifa and non-profits, such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, that adopt the targets of antifa & put them on their hate watch list, a dishonor Ngo has had the misfortune to occupy." #antifa https://t.co/T0fmVYdXBw
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) February 2, 2021
Organizations that want to destroy Israel funded by progressive foundations
The rioters were participating in a protest at the doors of the Capitol. The protest was called by Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) together with IfNotNow, two anti-Israeli and anti-Zionist organizations that demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the end of the Palestinian "genocide" and the Israeli occupation. JVP, founded in 1996 by Tony Kushner and Noam Chomsky, joined the call in 2015 to implement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) policies to end "Israel’s occupation and colonization of all Arab lands occupied in June 1967."
The group, always characterized by its leftward leanings, has historically been financed by progressive foundations. For example, as Just The News reports, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund gave the organization a grant of $140,000 over two years. In 2019, The Tides Foundation also gave them $75,000.
IfNotNow, a movement to 'demonize Israel and the Jewish people'
IfNotNow was founded by Simone Zimmerman, one of the women featured on The Jerusalem Post's list of the 50 most influential Jews in the world. The organization has been accused on several occasions of being antisemitic and seeking to destroy of the State of Israel. For example, CAMERA, a group that promotes "accurate and balanced coverage of Israel and the Middle East," say that IfNotNow "demonize Israel and the Jewish people": "Our concern with IfNotNow is not that they give the Palestinians a voice, but that they attack Israel, make heavily biased statements and facts, distort the truth, and demonize Israel and the Jewish people."
Among the donors of this organization are the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and other organizations that defend the BDS policies used against Israel, such as the Foundation for Peace in the Middle East. Yona Schiffmiller, director of the North American office of the NGO Monitor, highlighted that these groups' funding of IfNotNow "is consistent with that agenda and exacerbates tensions in the American Jewish community."
Assailants shouted and tried to intimidate Marjorie Taylor Greene
The "peaceful protest," as left-wing organizers and activists called it, left images that contradict this depiction. Rep. Taylor Greene described the rioters as "insurrectionist" and shared videos in which the allegedly peaceful protesters tried to intimidate her by shouting, "Let Gaza live!" and, claiming that she has "blood on [her] hands" in plain view of several Capitol Police officers.
Watch Tlaib’s aggressive insurrectionist come at me in Cannon today👇
After Hamas murdered and kidnapped innocent Israelis, this antisemite screams “Let Gaza live” and claims I have blood on my hands.
Now Biden wants to give $100 million to Gaza to fund more Hamas terrorism! pic.twitter.com/aCLr5vUlrX
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 19, 2023
Censore resolution for Tlaib
Subsequently, Taylor Greene wrote an official censure resolution for Rep. Rashida Tlaib for her actions facilitating and promoting the occupation of the Capitol grounds. In addition, she sent a letter to the head of the Capitol Police demanding that they "preserve all video surveillance footage, photographic evidence, police reports, and arrest records from all the House Office Buildings" so these rioters can be brought to justice.
I am formally requesting that the United States Capitol Police preserve all video surveillance footage, photographic evidence, police reports, and arrest records from all House Office Buildings on October 18, 2023.@CapitolPolice pic.twitter.com/MJ8DaRehy4
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 18, 2023
'The Squad' stands with the rioters
Before a portion of the protesters broke into the Congressional offices, Representatives Tlaib and Cori Bush addressed those gathered from the stage with anti-Israeli messages. Tlaib even went so far as to accuse the Israeli military of causing the explosion at Al-Ahli hospital, ignoring the evidence presented by the Israeli government. She warned President Biden, "A lot of people are not going to forget this."
.@RashidaTlaib's speech from the mass gathering of Jews and allies for ceasefire in DC today. [1/2] pic.twitter.com/4w8X0TKDh6
— IfNotNow🔥 (@IfNotNowOrg) October 18, 2023
Dangerous. Unhinged. Deception.
Rashida Tlaib represents a significant and growing faction of the Democratic Party, and voters should wake up to who these people are.
Stand With Israel. https://t.co/ZbtwKlqS0G
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) October 19, 2023
About 300 arrested, according to police sources
As the demonstration continued, a large group headed to the Cannon House Office Building and entered by force. Once inside, and despite warnings from Capitol Police that they were committing a crime, the assailants began chanting, "Cease fire now!" and, "Free Palestine!" Police proceeded to arrest dozens of protesters, and though they have not yet reported the exact number, NBC estimates about 300 people are in custody, according to police sources. Charges of assault on a police officer have been made against some of the arrested rioters.
Arrests in the Canon Rotunda and the rolling road closures are ongoing.
Amongst these arrests, three people have been arrested and charged with Assault on a Police Officer during processing.
— The U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) October 18, 2023
JUST IN: The United States Capitol has been taken over inside and outside by pro-Palestine protesters as Rep. Rashida Tlaib spoke with a crowd nearby.
Are we only allowed to call people like this insurrections when they are Donald Trump supporters?
Police are now making… pic.twitter.com/W0rttqIx51
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 18, 2023
