Protesters scatter maggots, crickets at Watergate Hotel amid Netanyahu visit

Video posted to Instagram Wednesday shows hundreds of maggots, crickets and mealworms dumped astir nan famed Watergate Hotel successful Washington, D.C., wherever Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly staying.

The video, posted to societal media by nan Palestinian Youth Movement and its DMV chapter, shows crickets connected a level of nan hotel’s communal spaces and maggots and mealworms crawling crossed a table, wherever Israeli and American flags and drinking glasses look successful nan background.

“Palestine protestors manufactured chaos astatine nan Watergate Hotel past nighttime truthful that Netanyahu, Israeli Mossad agents, and nan Secret Service had nary bid arsenic they proceed to terrorize our people,” nan Palestinian Youth Movement’s DMV section posted connected its societal media, alongside nan video.

The video besides captured a connection complete nan hotel’s PA system, announcing that nan occurrence siren had been pulled.

Netanyahu is successful nan nation’s superior to meet pinch lawmakers and deliver a associated convention reside to Congress. His sojourn has been met pinch ample throngs of protesters voicing their support for Palestinians.

A spokesperson for nan edifice confirmed it was alert of nan incident and had cleaned up nan mess.

“We are alert of nan societal media video circulating connected aggregate platforms involving The Watergate Hotel and nan unfortunate incident that occurred astatine nan spot yesterday. Our apical privilege is nan information and well-being of our guests and staff,” a spokesperson for nan edifice said successful a connection to aggregate media outlets.

“We took nan basal steps to guarantee nan spot has been sanitized and is now operating arsenic normal. We are cooperating afloat pinch authorities, who are handling nan situation. As this is an unfastened case, we are incapable to supply immoderate further specifications astatine this time.”

Zaid Khatib, 27, an organizer pinch nan DMV section of nan Palestinian Youth Movement, said he received nan video footage from an anonymous tipster and had his group station it to Instagram, but denied being progressive successful nan existent stunt.

“It reflects a tremendous information nonaccomplishment connected their part,” he told The Washington Post, referring to rule enforcement. “The metropolis of D.C. and nan United States authorities has stolen tens of millions of dollars to roll retired nan reddish carpet for a warfare criminal and moreover then, they can’t extremity thing arsenic elemental arsenic maggots being dropped … astatine nan Watergate Hotel.”

Protests collapsed retired Tuesday day connected Capitol Hill up of Netanyahu’s speech, resulting successful nan apprehension of astir 200 anti-Israel agitators.

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Many successful nan crowds of demonstrators protested nan killings of much than 39,000 Palestinians successful nan war. Others condemned Netanyahu’s inability to free Israeli and American hostages taken by Hamas and different militants during nan Oct. 7 attack.

More than 1,000 protesters gathered Wednesday greeting connected Pennsylvania Avenue adjacent nan Capitol, according to The Associated Press. As of Wednesday afternoon, nan protests person escalated, pinch aggregate arrests and constabulary deploying capsicum spray into nan crowds.