Santa Fe office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) defaced with graffiti on Nov 14, 2023 (Source: X)
In the weeks following the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, political activists have targeted elected officials – and their offices – with harassment and vandalism. Many of these incidents featured anti-Israel rhetoric, allegations of support for genocide and demands for a ceasefire.
Fewer than half of the elected officials who have reported being targeted by protestors are Jewish. All targeted individuals have expressed support for Israel, and most have spoken about the need to eliminate Hamas to secure lasting peace in the region. Several have also expressed concern about the large number of civilian deaths in Gaza. A week after protestors disrupted U.S. Representative’s Becca Balint’s (D-VT) fundraising event, she became the first Jewish representative to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
These incidents highlight the very real threats facing legislators who engage publicly on the Israel-Hamas war and underscore the fraught environment in which public officials are operating -- and the mounting pressure to perfectly calibrate every public statement.
Below, reported incidents targeting elected officials.
December 1
Bellevue, WA
U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) released a statement that his house in Bellevue, Washington, had been vandalized by “people advocating for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza.” According to subsequent reporting, Smith’s garage was vandalized with a message scrawled in red spray-paint calling for a ceasefire.
November 28
Cincinnati, OH
U.S. Representative Greg Landsman (D-OH) shared on X that unknown vandals put up a poster outside a building near his office that included a photo of Landsman and text that read, “This Ken supports genocide,” with other derogatory statements.
November 27
Hanford, CA
U.S. Representative David Valadao’s (R-CA) district office was vandalized by “anti-Israel protestors,” according to reports. The protestors put up fliers with images of children under a banner that read “murdered by Israel,” and smeared a red substance on the exterior of the building.
November 17
Brooklyn, NY
U.S. Representative Dan Goldman’s (D-NY) office released a statement detailing how his New York City district office was spray-painted with the messages, “Free Palestine,” “Let Gaza Live,” and “Blood on ur hands.” Security footage shows two unidentified individuals committing the vandalism.
November 16
Rocky River, OH
In mid-November, U.S. Representative. Max Miller (R-OH) reported that he had never been threatened until October 7, 2023, but since then, he, his wife and their infant child have been targeted with death threats.
November 14
Santa Fe, NM
Employees in U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich’s (D-NM) Santa Fe office found that the windows and doors of their building had been vandalized with graffiti that read “Heinrich Stop the Genocide,” “Ceasefire Now” and “Free Palestine.”
November 9
McAllen, TX
U.S. Representative Monica De La Cruz (R-TX) posted on X that her district office had been vandalized with messages in red paint reading, “Israel Kills Jews Too” and “You Can’t Escape Your Crimes Monica,” as well as a banner that read, “Monica Murders.”
Burlington, VT
Pro-Palestinian protestors disrupted a fundraising event held by U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-VT), holding “Ceasefire now” signs and singing an anti-war song. Balint said the protestors also surrounded the building and were pushing and banging on the glass, which she reported made the people inside feel unsafe.
November 3
New Haven, CT
In early November, vandals spray-painted the local office of U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) with the phrases “Free Palestin” [sic) and “Blood on ur hands” [sic].
October 26
Washington, DC
U.S. Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI) reported that an “I Stand with Israel” sign outside his congressional office had been vandalized with red handprints.
October 7-25
Las Vegas, NV
In early October, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) received several threatening voicemails allegedly from a man named John Anthony Miller, calling Rosen “subhuman,” vowing to “finish what Hitler started” and saying she would be exterminated. Miller also allegedly showed up at the courthouse where Rosen has an office, then walked away shouting profanities, including ‘[K]ill every last Israeli terror-fucking-rist.’ In subsequent voicemails, Miller asked Rosen if any of her relatives were Israelis settlers saying that they were “savages” and “war criminals.” Miller was arrested and charged with threatening a Federal official.
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