Those present at the Longworth House Office Building witnessed a dramatic encounter on Friday when Rep. George Santos (R-NY) found himself at the center of a heated confrontation with an anti-Israel protester, all while cradling an infant in his arms.
The activist had confronted Santos, decrying what he referred to as the “genocide of Palestinians.” However, the embattled lawmaker was not having any of it.
“The fact that we have terrorism sympathizers in this building is unacceptable. They should not be allowed in here. What is happening in Israel is abhorrent. That’s what it is. And the next time he tries to accost me with a child in my hand, I want him out of here!” Santos passionately exclaimed as he navigated the hallways, with reporters hot on his trail, seeking to understand the unfolding drama.
Rep. George Santos yells at pro-Palestine protester in the US Capitol: "It is abhorrent that you are in this building… You are a terrorist sympathizer! You are human scum!" pic.twitter.com/wcTr2W7xrX
— The Messenger (@TheMessenger) October 13, 2023
Santos, who has been indicted on 23 charges related to campaign finance fraud, continued, making his position crystal clear, “He’s an animal! He is a terrorist sympathizer.
The U.S. Capitol Police eventually intervened, handcuffing the protester and restoring order to the scene. Yet, the questions persisted as reporters sought to gain insight into the incident.
Santos, taking a moment to gather himself, firmly reiterated his stance: “The gentleman back there is a terrorist sympathizer who has no business in this building.”
“What is happening in Israel is abhorrent. What is happening to the people of Israel should not be defended. Nobody defending Hamas has any business in this building, whether you’re elected or a civilian. It is a disgrace that we allow people to parade that kind of thought in here,” Santos stated further.
The individual involved in the confrontation, identified as Shabd Singh, a Jewish-American, later spoke with the media. He explained that he was trying to question Santos about “war crimes” in Gaza after he had thrown similar questions to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
“He accused me of being in his personal space, so I took a step back. He was holding a child in his arms and saying that it was inappropriate for me to ask him questions in that scenario. I continued to ask him those questions. He refused to respond,” he shared.
Making his stand on recent Middle East events known, he added, “I’m here to say that you cannot weaponize Jewish pain to continue the mass murder of civilians.”
In another video clip of the incident, Santos flagged down Capitol Police officers, pointing out Singh as the individual who had accosted him earlier. The encounter culminated in another fiery exchange between the two, with Santos expressing his strong disapproval.
After speaking with reporters, Singh was handcuffed by Capitol Police. According to a statement released later that day, he faced charges of simple assault.
