John Fetterman Booed by Veterans During Israel Protest

Senator John Fetterman was booed on Thursday by veterans protesting outside the U.S. Capitol in favor of a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Footage of the incident shared to social-media site X, formerly Twitter, showed the Democrat waving an Israeli flag as he passed the demonstrators from the group About Face: Veterans Against the War.

Fetterman, the junior senator from Pennsylvania, has faced backlash for his support of Israel since a deadly Hamas attack on the country on October 7. As of Thursday, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that more than 10,800 people had been killed, including 4,400 children, according to figures cited by AP.

About Face: Veterans Against the War shared a video of Fetterman passing its protest outside the U.S. Capitol to X on Thursday. The senator can be seen holding up a miniature Israeli flag as the protesters chant: "What do we want? Ceasefire! When do we want it? Now!"

The clip shows some of the protesters booing Fetterman as he passes by. At one point, a man can be heard saying: "Shame."

The group that organized the demonstration describes itself as mobilizing "the military community against U.S. wars, militarism, and imperialism" at home and abroad.

"Jackass @JohnFetterman saw veterans getting arrested and laughed. We asked to see @SenGillibrand. We were put in cuffs. We need leaders who listen to veterans demanding a #CeaseFireNow," the group's post read.

Newsweek has reached out to Senator Fetterman's office via email for comment.

Members of About Face had earlier entered the office of Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and said on its X account that she had refused to meet them.

"Veterans who sat in @SenGillibrand 's office demanding #ceasefirenow have been arrested on the eve of #VeteransDay," About Face said in a subsequent post, sharing footage of police officers arresting demonstrators.

Fetterman has received both criticism and support for his stance on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

On Tuesday, the senator said that he was displaying posters of the Israelis kidnapped by Hamas in his Senate office. "In my front office I have displayed the posters of the innocent Israelis kidnapped by Hamas," Fetterman wrote on X.

"They will stay up until every single person is safely returned home," he added.

The senator's post included a 10-second video that showed the posters on the walls of his office.

Social-media users responded to Fetterman's post with a mixture of criticism and support, with some people thanking the senator for his position.

Fetterman has previously faced criticism—as well as support—for his views on the conflict.

"If not for the horrific attacks by Hamas terrorists, thousands of innocent Israelis and Palestinians would still be alive today," Fetterman wrote on X on October 18.

"Now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire. We must support Israel in efforts to eliminate the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered innocent men, women, and children," he added.

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