Rep. Jared Moskowitz suggested Iran might be at play at the raucous protests outside of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.
‘Everyone has a right to protest, but there are also professional agitators involved,’ he told DailyMail.com after pro-Gaza protesters at one point breached the security perimeter.
‘We know that the Iranians are paying people to do this. How come they weren’t protesting at the other convention, just here? And so look, this is an extension of the campus protests.’
The Florida Democrat has been one of Israel’s staunchest defenders from the left at a time when Middle East policy has caused a rift in the Democratic Party.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz suggested Iran might be at play at the raucous protests outside of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago
‘That doesn’t mean that there isn’t suffering in Gaza. It doesn’t mean that innocent people haven’t been killed. I just believe that’s Hamas’ fault.’
‘I want to cease fire in exchange for the hostages. Hamas won’t agree to that because they want to remain in power. And so look, they have a right to protest. They don’t have a right to violence.’
Moskowitz also shrugged off any concern that a Harris administration would be less of a friend to Israel than Joe Biden.
‘You know, people are trying to put that out there, but there has been no shift in policy, none. In fact, if you go look at the platform, it’s almost the identical platform as it’s been in the past, the DNC platform.’
‘It’s one of the most pro-Israel platforms that we’ve had. And so I don’t expect any shift from the Vice President on Israel policies.’
Chicago police arrested multiple demonstrators who attempted to break through the security fence, sources on the ground told DailyMail.com on Monday.
Pro-Gaza protests were far lighter outside the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee last month.
President Biden, meanwhile, shouted out the protesters and their cause in his Monday night address.
‘Those protesters out in the street, they have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed, on both sides,’ he said.
Gaza health authorities say that over 40,000 Palestinians have died in Israel’s offensive campaign since the Hamas attacks on October 7.
Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said last month that groups linked to Tehran have posed as online activists, encouraged protests and have provided financial support to some protest groups.
‘Iran is becoming increasingly aggressive in their foreign influence efforts, seeking to stoke discord and undermine confidence in our democratic institutions,’ Haines said.
The police intervention came after thousands of protestors joined the ‘March on the DNC’ demonstration, terminating blocks from the United Center arena where President Joe Biden is expected to speak Monday evening.
Chaos ensued after protestors broke down the first layer of fencing around the convention, but got caught in between another layer of fencing.
The activists had nowhere to go and were neatly pushed back by authorities, who made several arrests.
Hundreds of police faced off with thousands of protestors at a pro-Palestinian march to the Democratic National Convention Monday
‘Demonstrators breached a portion of anti-scale fencing along the Democratic National Convention’s outer perimeter near the United Center on Aug. 19,’ the Chicago Police Department wrote in a statement Monday.
‘Law enforcement personnel were immediately on-scene and contained the situation. At no point was the inner perimeter breached, and there was no threat to any protectees.’
‘The National Special Security Event plan employs a multi-layered approach. Each NSSE plan is unique and includes multiple layers,’ the statement continued.
‘One of these redundancies include the outer perimeter fence, which was erected to prevent entry into the inner perimeter.’
‘The Chicago Police Department remains on-scene and is working to clear the area.’
Police formed lines to eventually force demonstrators from the park
Protestors broke down the outermost barricade to the DNC and swarmed the area before being pushed back by authorities.
Chicago police watch as protesters gather during the Democratic National Convention on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Multiple protests are planned during the DNC, which is being held at the United Center from August 19-22
The police action came after most of the demonstrators had marched back to the event’s starting point.
The remaining activists – many wearing N-95 face masks, black glasses and other clothing to hide their identities – remained, yelling at CPD.
Some activists threw debris over the fence where the police were standing; broken wooden handles from signs, water bottles and trash were all hurled.
A long row of black fencing ran across the southern portion of a park that sits blocks from the United Center and it quickly became the object of the demonstrator’s outrage.
Violently shaking it back and forth the activists were able to dislodge portions of it, and through these holes in the barricade they climbed over into a buffer space of roughly 20 feet before another line of fencing.
It was in this in-between space where many of the pro-Palestine and anti-DNC protestors linked arms and began chanting.
Police responded by quickly sending in roughly a hundred or so before lining up to disperse the unruly newcomers.
After standing sternly for some minutes the police slowly began inching forward on the arm-linked activists.
Protestors often ran away rom police as they closed in
Police distribute signs telling anti-DNC protestors to disperse
Specialized police with riot gear attachments like visors compelled the activists to leave the park
Soon after the law enforcement began moving the protestors began fleeing, some running for fear of not wanting to be arrested or apprehended.
After the protestors were removed from the DNC security perimeter police began replacing some of the dislodged fence pieces and the cops regrouped.
As some remained yelling at police, though at this time far fewer than before, the police began encircling the remaining protestors at the park before pushing them out.
Finally, the cops began distributing fliers indicating the recipients were ‘being ordered to disperse by the Chicago Police Department.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk