D.C. cleans up anti-Netanyahu protest vandalism and graffiti

National Park Service staffers began power-washing the vandalized Christopher Columbus statue and fountain near Union Station on Thursday, launching what they expect to be a multiday effort to clear the graffiti left by demonstrators protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress.

The area outside Union Station was the site of some of the most tense confrontations Wednesday between police and demonstrators, thousands of whom marched and chanted in various areas of D.C. The vandalism drew condemnations from top U.S. officials, including Vice President Harris.

In Columbus Circle, demonstrators took down American flags and set one ablaze, along with an effigy of Netanyahu. On the Christopher Columbus fountain, “Hamas is comin” had been spray-painted with an inverted triangle above it. That symbol has been used by Hamas to identify its targets, though some pro-Palestinian protesters have used it as a broader indication of support in a nod to the Palestinian flag.

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On the Freedom Bell, a reproduction of the Liberty Bell, demonstrators spray-painted messages that included “Israel bombs hospitals,” “Free Gaza” and “Free Palestine.”

D.C. police, Capitol Police and U.S. Park Police had announced on Wednesday that 23 people had been arrested in connection with the demonstrations, though the status of all of their cases could not immediately be learned a day later. The D.C. attorney general’s office said it had dropped misdemeanor cases against 11 of those charged by various police agencies for crimes including crossing police lines and disorderly conduct. Eight people charged by the U.S. attorney’s office in D.C. appeared in D.C. Superior Court on Thursday on charges including assault on a police officer, making threats and attempted second-degree theft. They were ordered to stay away from Union Station grounds and report back for preliminary hearings at the end of August.

A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment on the investigation, including whether officials would review video footage showing the vandalism and the flag burning. The spokesperson would also not address the discrepancy between the number of people who police said were arrested and the number of cases being pursued, except to say the investigation was “ongoing.”

Kenneth Spencer, chairman of the Park Police union, defended the relatively low number of arrests, saying in a statement on X that the agency “simply did not have the staffing or resources to accomplish a mass arrest operation.”

The cleanup is expected to take three days, according to a Park Service official, who said the statue is expected to take longer to clean than the bell because of its marble finish. Only remnants of the red spray paint on the bell were visible after its first treatment Thursday morning.

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Jasmine Shanti, a National Park Service spokesperson, said significant progress has been made toward restoring the statue and fountain.

“American flags are once again flying on the flagpoles in the park. The NPS is managing all cleanup and repair activities in Columbus Circle and cost details will be provided after the cleanup and repair is complete,” Shanti wrote in an emailed statement.

The vandalism was condemned by several federal officials, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Harris, who described the damage as “despicable acts by unpatriotic protesters.” She condemned the graffiti as well as the burning of the American flag.

“I support the right to peacefully protest, but let’s be clear: Antisemitism, hate and violence of any kind have no place in our nation,” Harris wrote in a statement on X.

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The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that works against antisemitism, described the graffiti as a direct threat from supporters of terrorism by Hamas.

“‘Hamas is coming’ is nothing short of a vile, antisemitic attack on our nation,” the organization posted Thursday on X.

Modest demonstrations over Netanyahu’s visit continued Thursday, with protesters gathering in Lafayette Square outside the White House in the afternoon. Others were expected later.

Ellie Silverman contributed to this report.

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