Watch: Anti-Semitic protesters burn US flag, raise Palestinian flag at Union Station in Washington DC

Pro-Palestine protesters removed and burned American flags outside Union Station in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, replacing them with smaller Palestinian flags. The demonstration coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US capital, leading to significant disruptions.

A US Park Police captain confirmed that two of the three American flags taken down by protesters were set on fire. The demonstration prompted road closures around the Capitol and Union Square areas. Protesters also burned an effigy of Netanyahu and demanded an end to US military aid to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.  

Videos shared online showed protesters chanting as the flags burned and the effigy of Netanyahu was set ablaze. Demonstrators dyed several fountains around Capitol Hill red and projected messages onto buildings, calling for Netanyahu's arrest as a war criminal.
 

The protests turned violent at times, with footage showing protesters dragging and assaulting a police officer outside Union Station. The protesters were seen replacing the US flag with the Palestinian flag before setting the American flag on fire.

In another act of protest, maggots were released on Netanyahu’s table at the Watergate Hotel, and fire alarms were set off to disrupt his sleep the night before his visit to Congress. This occurred as Netanyahu addressed Congress, aiming to bolster US support for Israel’s actions against Hamas and other Iran-backed militant groups. His speech faced boycotts from several prominent Democrats and drew thousands of protesters to Capitol Hill.

During his address, Netanyahu stressed the importance of US-Israeli solidarity, stating, “When we stand together, something truly great happens: we win, and they lose.” He wore a yellow pin to show solidarity with Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday, followed by a meeting with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.