A politician in Illinois was the victim of a vandalism act that was carried out during the Fourth of July holiday.
Democratic state Representative Brad Schneider said the “vile act of hate” was targeted at his office at Capitol Hill.
On Friday, he posted about the incident on the social media platform X, writing that posters of more than “100 people still held hostage in Gaza (including 8 Americans) were ripped from the wall, shredded and tossed across the hallway.”
He continued that the act itself would’ve be shameful on any day, but it was especially so since it happened on “July 4, our country’s Independence Day.” As Schneider continue:
“Sadly, it was but one of many hateful, un-American actions that took place across the country on the day we celebrate freedom and democracy.”
Schnieder is 62 years old and has been representing the 10th Congressional District in Illinois since 2017. He’s currently running for re-election, hoping to extend his time in office.
In addition to the vandalism that happened at his office, the state politician wrote that he was especially “disgusted” by various videos posted online and reports of other people calling Independence Day a “terrorist holiday,” burning American flags in the process.
Schneider said that the vandalism didn’t just happen at his office in Washington, D.C., last week, but that his home was “targeted last weekend at 2:30 AM by approximately 50 masked demonstrators banging drums, blowing horns and screaming antisemitic chants,” he said.
He added:
“The same groups that were at my house earlier in the week marched through Chicago on July 4th, not calling for peace, but rather condemning the United States of America.”
On Instagram, a group called Direct Actions for Palestine said that Schneider needs to support restoring U.S. funding for the U.N. agency called UNRWA, which supports Palestinian refugees, Reuters reported.
Scheider has voted to defund UNRWA after reports from Israel that members of that group helped to supported — and even participated in — Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel last October.
Direct Actions for Palestine says it is a group that’s dedicated to “highlighting direct actions for Palestine happening in Chicago.”
On the group’s page on Instagram, they posted a clip that showed people protesting outside of Schneider’s home. The post was captioned: “If we don’t get no justice, then you don’t get no sleep.”
In a statement issued to Reuters, the U.S. Capitol Police Department said it was “aware and investigating” the incident, but wasn’t able to provide additional information at this time.
Schneider has been a staunch supporter of Israel, even as multiple sources have begun to back away from the country for its alleged treatment of Palestinians and its approach to the ongoing war in Gaza.
The brutal and surprise attack by Hamas militants on Israel back on October 7 left 1,200 people dead, with another 250 people taken hostage.
