During the evening of November 15, 2023, a group of pro-Palestinian protestors engaged in what Capitol Police called an illegal and violent protest at the DNC HQ in DC.
Six officers were injured and at least on demonstrator arrested.
There were several Democratic lawmakers inside the building when the protestors arrived and they were forced to barricade themselves in the front doors to prevent the “peaceful protestors” from opening the door.
To keep the fact checkers happy here’s what the report from Axios states:
The DNC was hosting a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee candidate event at the time, with multiple Democratic leaders present including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), two House Democrats told Axios.
IfNotNow, which led the protest along with other left-wing and pro-Palestinian groups, said in a statement Thursday morning that over 90 protesters were injured in the clashes.
The group said protesters were pepper sprayed, pulled by the hair, hit with police bikes, choked, shoved against walls and pushed down stairs.
IfNotNow national spokesperson Eva Borgwardt told Axios late Wednesday the violence was “one-sided” by police.
“The goal was just to block the door [to the DNC building] in non-violent civil disobedience,” Borgwardt said, adding that demonstrators’ refusal to comply with orders from law enforcement prompted “the most brutal police response I have ever seen.”
Capitol Police did evacuate members of Congress who were trapped in the building buy mob of about 150 people.
More from the Axios report:
One House Democrat who was present at the DNC told Axios it “scared me more than January 6,” recounting that they were about to leave and return to the Capitol when police told them not to exit.
“Someone sent out word for people to come [back] and police said it’s not safe,” the lawmaker said. “Police were wearing gas masks … this was not peaceful.”
However, other Democrat members of Congress said everything was fine.
Congressman Brad Sherman just lied to @abbydphillip on CNN. Police became violent and pepper-sprayed nonviolent, antiwar protesters at the DNC — not the other way around. pic.twitter.com/7xkL6sv3wJ
— Waleed Shahid 🪬 (@_waleedshahid) November 16, 2023
Below are videos showing what took place:
My husband, newborn, and I are in my office in the Capitol — which just went into lockdown because of these uncontrolled protestors.
I bet you won’t hear a word about this from the media. pic.twitter.com/8ajtn5pZUS
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) November 16, 2023
Far-left protesters try to storm the DNC. They are demanding that Democrats stop supporting Israel. pic.twitter.com/n42ccP1Jpm
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) November 16, 2023
I don’t know about you but this woman clearly has a lot of energy. I would be exhausted yelling like that.
Far-left woman is furious at her own party as police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters who are storming the DNC. pic.twitter.com/GNVaqtt9SR
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) November 16, 2023
