Congressman says photos of Gaza hostages were ripped down outside his office on July 4

WASHINGTON — U.S. Capitol Police say they are investigating possible vandalism that occurred outside the office of Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) on July 4.

On Friday, Schneider posted on X, formerly Twitter, that posters of hostages being held in Gaza had been ripped down from a wall outside of his office in the Cannon House Office Building. Schneider said the vandalism was a “vile act of hate.”

“This was a shameful act on any day, but especially on July 4, our country’s Independence Day,” Schneider said.

Schneider, who is one of 37 Jewish members of Congress, said his home in Illinois has also been targeted by protesters who banged drums, blew horns and screamed “antisemitic chants” outside at 2:30 a.m.

In a statement to WUSA9, a Capitol Police spokesperson said the department was looking into the incident.

“We are aware and investigating,” USCP said. “To protect the investigation, we cannot provide any more information at this time.”

Both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents have seen a marked increase nationwide and in the DMV amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Just weeks after the Oct. 7 attack in which Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel, American University reported swastikas and a Nazi slogan were found graffitied on Jewish students’ doors. That same month, George Washington University said it was investigating after several anti-Israel messages were projected onto a library named after a Jewish alumnus and his wife.

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