Protester with 'war criminal' sign carried out of Blinken hearing
A person protesting against the Biden administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war was lifted out of a Senate Foreign Relations hearing on Tuesday after interrupting Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s testimony.
The protester, a young woman wearing a t-shirt that read “invest in life,” held two signs reading “war criminal,” referring to Blinken. She was quickly subdued by Capitol Police as she approached Blinken, and was lifted off her feet and taken out of the hearing room.
Protesters have increasingly become a common sight at hearings featuring Blinken, as the secretary has become the face of the Biden administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war.
A rising number of Democrats, mostly progressives, have hammered Biden over his ardent support for Israel in the conflict despite mass civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Blinken and Biden have consistently warned Israel to limit civilian casualties and increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, though the words have been criticized as not enough. Biden said earlier this month that he would pause military aid shipments to Israel if its military invaded Rafah, the strongest yet rebuke of the country’s leadership.
That move came under fire from a bipartisan group of Israel’s closest allies in Congress, who said even the threat was going too far against Israel.
Protesters have repeatedly interrupted Blinken and other Biden administration officials during similar Senate hearings. Last month, activists painted their hands red to signify blood in protest while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gave testimony. In October, a string of protesters interrupted Blinken one at a time, taking minutes out of a hearing.
The protests add to concerns for the Biden campaign, amid fears that younger, more progressive voters unhappy with the president’s policy on the Israel-Hamas war could sit out of the November election.