A House Judiciary Committee hearing on free speech was quickly — and ironically — interrupted by a pro-Palestine protester.
The 8 November hearing was meant to address free speech on college campuses. Seconds after the committee members were introduced, a protester stood up, holding a sign that read “pro-Palestine” is not equal to “antisemitism” and was shouting, but the words were inaudible.
“We appreciate people being here but the Committee has to be in order if you - -,” committee Chair Jim Jordan began before getting interrupted again when someone asked about Congress’s decision to censure Rep Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian member of Congress.
“We will remove every single person who disrupts the committee,” the frustrated-looking Ohio Republican said as the second person continued to shout.
The protester could be heard shouting “ceasefire now!” at a decreasing decibel as Capitol police seemed to take her out of the hearing room.
The committee was about to resume the meeting when a third protester stood up.
A Capitol Police spokesperson told The Independent that roughly 10 protesters were arrested for illegally crowding or obstructing a Congressional office building, and one was also charged with assault on a police officer.
Although the House Judiciary Committee website appears to have omitted that exchange from its video of the hearing, the X account @Acyn posted the clip of the demonstrators’ interruption. Social media users dug into the irony of the protesters intruding on this particular meeting.
“Jim Begins his ‘Free Speech’ hearings, by removing ‘Free Speech’ from the room, lol,” one user remarked.
“No, not that type of free speech....gosh!!” another commented.
“GOP preaches that they want free speech but they censure a colleague when they disagree with something that is said. Make it make sense,” yet another wrote.
