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Critics Refer To Pro-Palestine, Anti-Zionist Demonstrators Entering Capitol As Insurrectionists

X Users Noted Similarities Between Wednesday's Protesters And Jan. 6 Protesters Entering The Capitol

Published: October 19, 2023
  |   By Christopher Bertman

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and political pundits referred to pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist demonstrators entering the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday as an “insurrection.”

Critics of the protest noted similarities between Wednesday’s pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist demonstration and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Both events featured protesters demonstrating outside the Capitol while some entered the Capitol Rotunda.

Greene, who was sworn into office three days prior to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, recorded a live feed to her X account from the Capitol. Video from the Georgia representative featured footage of protesters outside the Capitol along with other protesters inside the Cannon Rotunda.

Protesters in Greene’s video are heard singing while others hold signs reading, “MOURN THE DEAD, AND FIGHT LIKE HELL FOR THE LIVING.” Another sign held by protesters read “CEASEFIRE” in reference to Israel’s retaliation on the Gaza Strip after Islamic militant group Hamas attacked the Jewish state last weekend.

“We have an insurrection happening at the Cannon Building,” Greene said at the beginning of her stream.

“Of course, they know what they’re doing,” Greene said. “They always know what they’re doing.”

Not the Bee, a Babylon Bee offshoot, shared a meme featuring an image of one protester from the Jan. 6 Capitol riot with a caption reading “DARKEST DAY IN HISTORY.” Accompanying the image was a photo of Wednesday’s demonstration inside the Capitol by pro-Palestine and anti-Zionist protesters with another caption reading, “STUNNING AND BRAVE.”

Podcast host Benny Johnson similarly shared images of both events in an X post.

“Apparently it’s ok to storm the Capitol, stage an insurrection inside, and interrupt a congressional hearing,” Johnson wrote. “But only if you’re protesting on behalf of Palestine.

Libs of TikTok also referred to the event as an insurrection and asked if protesters would be “arrested, hunted down, or thrown in gulags” in reference to imprisoned Jan. 6 protesters.

“Will any of them get 17-22 year prison sentences? Shaking,” Libs of TikTok wrote.

In another post, Greene claimed Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib organized the “insurrection.”

“She coordinated with Global Intifada and anti-Israel JVP,” Greene wrote. “They all must be held in the DC gulag and Tlaib must be held accountable.”

Tlaib, who has been an outspoken supporter of Palestinians, also attended the demonstration and spoke to protesters outside the Capitol.

The Michigan Rep. also took aim at President Joe Biden, who has expressed support for Israel amidst the conflict, saying, “Not all of America’s with you on this one.”

“You need to wake up and understand that,” she continued. “We are literally watching people commit genocide and kill a vast majority just like this,” she said as she pointed to the crowd of protesters.

Tlaib said protesters were on the “right side of history.”

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