Senator Ted Cruz, Republican from Texas, is investigating the National Park Service (NPS) over its handling of a pro-Hamas protest in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024. The protest, which took place during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S., was marred by vandalism and violence, including the burning of an effigy of Netanyahu and the spray-painting of monuments. Cruz, in a letter sent to NPS on Friday, expressed his concerns about the agency’s response to the event, particularly its insufficient deployment of officers and lack of coordination with other agencies.
Cruz argues that NPS had advance notice of the protest and ample time to prepare for the potential for violence. Despite this, only 29 NPS officers were deployed, leaving them significantly outnumbered by the crowd. In contrast, Amtrak Police, responsible for security at Union Station, effectively managed their area with a significantly larger presence. Cruz’s letter further criticizes NPS for failing to coordinate with other agencies and for underestimating the protest’s scale. He’s also demanding detailed answers about NPS’s preparation efforts, including information about intelligence gathered regarding the protest and the ANSWER Coalition, the group that organized the event. Additionally, he is seeking information on NPS’s coordination with local agencies, the number of officers deployed, any body-camera footage, and after-action reports regarding the event.
Cruz highlights that the inadequate resources deployed by NPS were negligent, given the history of violence associated with pro-Hamas demonstrations. He points out that even with every U.S. Park Police officer in the D.C. area, there were insufficient resources available for a major protest that could potentially turn violent. The protest saw participants burn American flags, vandalize statues, and chant slogans such as “Allahu Akbar.” At Union Station, protesters burned an American flag, vandalized a statue with the words “Hamas is coming,” and replaced American flags with Palestinian flags.
The protest took place amidst Netanyahu’s address to Congress during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu himself, during his speech, condemned the cease-fire demonstrations taking place across the U.S., criticizing their motives. Fox News Digital has reached out to NPS for comment on Senator Cruz’s letter and the events that transpired at the July 24 protest.
