A replica of the Liberty Bell outside Washington DC’s Union Station was defaced with pro-Hamas symbols and anti-Israel messages, including one that read “Fuck Israel,” during protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress.
As thousands of protesters descended on the nation’s capital on Wednesday, demonstrations quickly turned to vandalism around Union Station, where anti-Israel crowds targeted the landmark to spread a message of hate against the Jewish state.
A replica of the Liberty Bell at the scene was covered in graffiti with messages such as “Abolish Israel,” “All Zionists are bastards” and “Capitalists are shit.”
The bell also bore an inverted red triangle, a symbol that has become synonymous with the terror group Hamas, which uses it in its propaganda videos to show Israeli soldiers being targeted for death.
The bell was also inscribed with the message “Long Live the Intifada,” a slogan that the Anti-Defamation League has repeatedly denounced as a “call for violence against Israelis, Jews and Israel.”
The most noticeable graffiti on the bell was the word “F-Israel” in large red letters.
In addition to vandalizing the replica Liberty Bell, graffiti was also spread on the neighboring Christopher Columbus statue, with an ominous red message reading, “Hamas is coming.”
Protesters at Union Station were also seen burning an American flag and an effigy of Netanyahu, and Washington Police, Capitol Police and US Park Police reported making 23 arrests after chaotic clashes with police.
But the protesters’ vandalism was removed by Wednesday morning as National Park Service personnel scrubbed the hateful messages.
The protest at Union Station coincided with demonstrations that appeared to reference biblical plagues, with demonstrators turning the city’s fountains blood red.
Protesters also released maggots and other creepy bugs at the Watergate Hotel, where Prime Minister Netanyahu’s delegation was staying.
