Democrat More 'Rattled' by Pro-Palestinian Protesters Than Capitol Rioters

A Michigan Democratic representative said she was more rattled by pro-Palestinian protesters than January 6 Capitol rioters following a protest that erupted outside of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) building in Washington, D.C. this week.

On Thursday, the U.S. Capitol Police Department said in a statement that about 200 protesters were outside the DNC headquarters building on Wednesday night to protest the conflict in the Middle East.

Fighting began on October 7 when the Hamas militant group attacked Israel, followed by airstrikes in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces with more than 11,000 casualties reported across both sides, the Associated Press reported on Friday. Protests have continued to break out in the U.S. in support of both sides.

"We have handled hundreds of peaceful protests, but last night's group was not peaceful," the statement said. "The crowd failed to obey our lawful orders to move back from the DNC, where Members of Congress were in the building."

Following the protest, Representative Debbie Dingell said she was stuck inside the building for a short period of time while the protesters were outside.

"This rattled me more than January 6th [riot] did," Dingell told the Detroit News. "I was scared. Someone is going to get hurt at one of these things. They can get out of control."

On Friday, she told Newsweek that she was rattled by the protest but believes "very strongly in the right of peaceful protests."

Dingell said she didn't totally know what happened outside and that she planned to go out and speak with the protesters but saw a young policewoman who entered the building after getting hit with pepper spray.

"I was more rattled," Dingell said in regard to the protest on Wednesday evening compared to the January 6 Capitol riot. "On January 6, I didn't see the TV, I didn't know how bad it was until after we left there, but right there it was me, I'm there and the doors there and [the protesters] are right there.

"I don't know that any of us will totally know what happened out there, except that it got intense and it was scary."

The IfNotNow organization, which describes itself as "American Jews organizing our community to end U.S. support for Israel's apartheid system," shared a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, showing the protest outside of the DNC building on Wednesday.

"BREAKING: Democratic Party headquarters has been SHUT DOWN demanding a #CeasefireNOW," the group said in one post.

In another post, the group shared a video of protesters and police officers pushing each other.

"Police are being extremely violent outside @TheDemocrats headquarters," the post said. "We are linking arms, threatening no one, and begging our politicians to support an end to the killing and the suffering in Gaza. Begging, peacefully, for a cease-fire. And this is the response."

U.S. Capitol Police said protesters moved dumpsters to block exits and attempted to pepper-spray officers.

"Six officers were treated for injuries, from minor cuts to being pepper sprayed to being punched," U.S. Capitol Police said, adding that "24-year-old Ruben Arthur Camacho...was arrested for Assault on a Police Officer after an officer witnessed Camacho slam another officer into a garage door and then punch the female officer in the face."

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