WASHINGTON, DC: Right-wing Republican Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia found herself at the center of a social media storm after she referred to hundreds of protesters occupying part of a House office building on Wednesday, October 18, as "insurrectionists."
The protesters, dressed in black T-shirts with the words "Jews say cease-fire now," were advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza while occupying the floor in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building.
Marjorie Taylor Greene calls pro-Palestine protest an 'insurrection'
Greene's controversial statement came as she panned her phone across the crowd of protesters and said, "There's an insurrection happening now on Capitol Hill."
The Georgia congresswoman, who has a history of downplaying the events of January 6 at the Capitol, began an interview in which she complained about the protesters, expressing concerns about potential violence.
However, her interview was interrupted by a protester chanting, "Let Gaza Live," which prompted Greene to call the Capitol police.
In a separate incident, Greene told another protester, "I don't represent you, lady," and openly expressed her desire for the police to arrest the demonstrators, which included a sizable Jewish group.
Greene once again referred to the peaceful protest as an "insurrection" and unintentionally implied that the events of January 6 could also be classified as such.
"This is an insurrection. Throw these people out. Like, what is happening? This is going to be a f---ing insurrection again," she exclaimed during the encounter.
One of Greene's staff members captured a photo of an unidentified person at the protests having a text exchange with an entity named "Global Intifada."
Greene took to social media to share the images and claimed that "Global Intifada and Jewish Voice for Peace are the organizing groups that antisemite and Pro-Hamas Rashida Tlaib brought in today."
Rep Mary Miller (R-IL) joined Greene in writing a similar post on social media, raising questions about federal charges and FBI involvement: "INSURRECTIONISTS are storming the Capitol in support of Hamas. They are interrupting official government proceedings. Will there be federal charges? Solitary confinement? Will the FBI raid their homes? WHO PAID for their buses, signs & t-shirts?"
Greene, who voiced skepticism about the protesters' intentions, stated, "These people do not want peace. They are pro-Hamas. This is a complete setup. This is the beginning of a movement."
Call for investigation
In response to the situation, Greene penned a letter to US Capitol Police Chief J Thomas Manger, requesting the preservation of all video surveillance footage, photographic evidence, police reports, and arrest records from all House Office Buildings on October 18, 2023.
She wrote, "By launching an insurrection in the Capitol complex, these actors caused elevators to be shut down, staircases and hallways to be blocked, exits to be made inaccessible, and official legislative business to be obstructed, putting Members of Congress, their staffs, and Capitol visitors at risk."
Greene did not shy away from targeting fellow Rep Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) for her involvement in the protest, alleging that Tlaib was "leading the current insurrection on Capitol Hill."
She shared a video of Tlaib standing before a "Ceasefire" banner, speaking to pro-Palestinian activists.
Capitol Police reported the arrest of approximately 300 demonstrators, who claimed to be associated with the group Jewish Voice for Peace, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Social media backlash
Critics of Greene, primarily from the other side of the political spectrum, took issue with her labeling the protesters as "insurrectionists" given her repeated denials regarding the events of January 6, 2021, when the US Capitol was breached.
One posted on X, "So MTG was calling Palestinian protestors out as insurrectionists today. 'Throw these people out,' Greene added. 'Like, what is happening? This is going to be a f---ing insurrection again.' That last quote shows MTG acknowledging that the Capitol riot was an insurrection."
They added, "She has worked hard to say it was not an insurrection but today the slip-up MGT fails to understand that a protest outside the Capitol is merely a protest, but one that starts outside and ends up inside where lives are lost and politicians lives are threatened is an insurrection. I’m glad she now understands that J6 was an insurrection."
"Wait…. She called it an Insurrection…? I thought it was happy tourists on a picnic skipping and laughing or something…?" another quipped.
"Hmmm. She wasn’t at all alarmed when it was white people in red hats, wonder why she’s so shaken now?" someone else added.
"Again? We've had insurrection before? Wow. Thought they were just tourists with pre-made t-shirts saying civil war on them," another chimed in.
