Palestinian Flags Raised in US Capital as American Flags Burned

Protesters enraged by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress burned U.S. flags and raised a Palestinian flags outside Union Station in Washington, D.C.

Netanyahu’s visit to Washington on Wednesday has provoked a series of dramatic demonstrations from protesters opposed to Israel’s ongoing military assault in Gaza. Earlier in the day, maggots were dumped on a banquet table at Netanyahu’s hotel, while fountains around the capital city were dyed blood red.

The protests escalated in the afternoon, with a group outside Washington’s train station removing U.S. flags and replacing them with flags of Palestine. Videos shared on social media show the protesters burning an American flag and an effigy of Netanyahu, with some dancing in celebration as music plays.

“Anti-Israel protestors burned an effigy with an American flag wrapped around it outside of Union Station,” Gary M. Collins, a journalist for the conservative Sinclair Broadcast Group, wrote while sharing a video of the moment to X, formerly Twitter.

“The effigy collapsed to a loud cheers and shouts of joy as anti-Israel protestors danced around the burning pile,” he added. “Towards the end of the dancing, a man with a white collared shirt grabbed the burning American flag, and was chased by at least a dozen protestors.”

The U.S. Park Police revoked a protest permit for the area a short time later, while Amtrak informed customers of expected delays due to disruptions caused by “protest activity.”

The war in Gaza began after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, killing approximately 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages. About 120 hostages remain captive in Gaza, with a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli officials.

Meanwhile, over 39,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military operation, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.