(BrightPress.org) – A congressman from California had his office vandalized by pro-Palestinian protesters early in the morning on Monday, November 27th. Rep. David Valadao’s (R-CA) Hanford office was plastered with posters that shared pictures of alleged Palestinians “Murdered by Israel.” The vandals also splashed the entryway and sign with fake blood.
Valadao posted a photograph on X Monday afternoon, showing the display.
He said they filed the appropriate reports with local law enforcement and said if found, they intend to hold the perpetrators responsible to the fullest extent the law allows. Given the crime occurred in California, severe punishment is unlikely.
Valadao also suggested protesters who want to protect Palestinian lives should also want the removal of Hamas from power, as they use civilian human shields and assert their will over Gaza like a totalitarian regime. He further said he welcomes all views and political expression, but that vandalism and violence were not appropriate venues for self-expression.
Similar vandalism occurred this week outside the New York Public Library’s main branch in Bryant Park. A pro-Palestinian protest occurred outside the library on Thursday, November 23rd which packed the street out front of the building. Police watched as they spray-painted “Free Palestine” on the exterior columns. Bloody handprints were also spray-painted on the ground.
Library officials responded saying they strongly support the right to protest, but that vandalism crosses a line into criminality which costs the city money at a time when the budget is already strapped. They further critiqued protesters for their failure to facilitate an “open exchange of ideas and intellectual debate.”
Police arrested one individual, and charges are still pending.
Pro-Palestinian protesters also briefly interrupted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade uptown. Roughly 30 individuals were protesting along the Sixth Avenue route when a few jumped the barricade and glued themselves to the street. They were forcibly removed by police and arrested.
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