Last night Rep. Rashida Tlaib made it clear she blamed Israel for the hospital explosion. She posted a tweet which said, “Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that.” She then added a jab at Joe Biden, “@Potus this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate. Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many Palestinian Americans and Muslims Americans like me. We will remember where you stood.”

Today, even though her own government says Hamas was probably at fault for the explosion in the hospital parking lot, Tlaib is doubling-down.

I just asked @RashidaTlaib multiple times why she hasn’t deleted this tweet—and whether she has seen evidence that refutes it.

Rep. Tlaib refused to say anything as she rushed from the House floor to a car waiting to pick her up outside the Capitol building. https://t.co/HxvvgqKZyS

— John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) October 18, 2023

There’s a big protest taking place at the Capitol today and Rep. Tlaib was outside giving a speech echoing the claims she made last night. She became emotional saying she’s continuing “to watch people think it’s okay to bomb a hospital with children.”

Despite it being proven wrong that Israel bombed a hospital in Gaza, Rep. @RashidaTlaib breaks down in tears at a pro-Hamas rally outside the Capitol repeating the claim Israel bombed a hospital.
pic.twitter.com/7POVh8uaBv

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 18, 2023

For the record, it’s not okay to bomb a hospital, especially one with children. But it’s also not okay to blame someone for a crime it didn’t commit. That appears to be the case here. Tlaib also doubled-down on her message for Joe Biden: “I’m not going to forget this…It’s not a threat. It isn’t.”

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib:

“The White House and everyone thinks that we’re gonna sit back and let this continue to happen. No!”

Moments later, they occupied a Congress building on Capitol Hill
pic.twitter.com/SDX5LOxC5G

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 18, 2023

As you can see in the video above, Tlaib was standing in front of a big banner that read “Ceasefire.” This is part of a larger progressive effort to push for an end to the Israeli response to the attack by Hamas. Squad member Rep. Cori Bush also spoke on the same stage.

"There is nothing repugnant and nothing disgraceful about saving lives. CEASEFIRE NOW." – @CoriBush pic.twitter.com/FcS2UhjhPw

— Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) October 18, 2023

Here’s video of the scene inside the Cannon building rotunda. Note the same banner is being held up in the background.

HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds of American Jews are holding a sit-in at Congress — and we won’t leave until Congress calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. As thousands of U.S. Jews protest outside, over 350 are inside, including two dozen rabbis, holding prayerful resistance. pic.twitter.com/H0b2ort6fa

— Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) October 18, 2023

Squad member Rep. Ayanna Pressley was cheering them on.

Solidarity with those mobilizing and demanding a #CeasefireNOW to save lives. pic.twitter.com/hM7nkT7FWQ

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) October 18, 2023

There was also a big march outside.

We are marching to Congress with thousands of Jewish people who are demanding a #CeasefireNOW.

President Biden and Congress must call for an immediate to the genocide of innocent Palestinians. pic.twitter.com/xnDlUiBzDN

— Justice Democrats (@justicedems) October 18, 2023

Eventually some of the people inside were arrested. The guys holding the banner didn’t cooperate with police.

Capitol Police are making multiple arrests in the Cannon Rotunda area where protesters have taken it over. pic.twitter.com/tAeKGJgKAw

— Reshad Hudson (@ReshadHudson) October 18, 2023

Police started arresting people in the rotunda.

Police begin one by one arrests of pro-Palestine protesters in Cannon Capitol building atrium. pic.twitter.com/92L3liqzCW

— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) October 18, 2023

They continued for about two hours until only a few were left.

USCP has about a dozen or so arrests to make before the Cannon rotunda is cleared pic.twitter.com/JGotd7aPh5

— Logan Ratick (@Logan_Ratick) October 18, 2023

In all, it appears a more than a hundred people were arrested and a handful of those were charged with assault:

U.S. Capitol Police say that demonstrations are not allowed inside Congressional buildings and are working to clear the crowd. Police have already arrested several individuals as chants of “ceasefire now” and “free Palestine” echoed around the building.

The detained protesters were lined up outside the building and are being shuttled to a temporary holding area in the Capitol complex. Capitol Police say demonstrators inside the Cannon Rotunda will be charged with illegally protesting inside a House Office Building.

They say already among these arrests, three people have been charged with assault on a police officer during processing.

All of this reminds me of the anti-war protests during the Bush administration. There were tens of thousands of people turning out in the streets for those protests right up until Barack Obama was elected and then they vanished. So it’s interesting to see the Squad and the far left bringing this back with a pointed attack on Joe Biden.

Finally, have to give credit where it’s due. Sen. Fetterman is right.

It’s truly disturbing that Members of Congress rushed to blame Israel for the hospital tragedy in Gaza.

Who would take the word of a group that just massacred innocent Israeli civilians over our key ally?

— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) October 18, 2023