Members of the anti-war group Code Pink on Wednesday told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to “stop supporting mass killings” over the Biden administration’s support for Israel as it continues to fight Hamas terrorists.
Austin was leaving a House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing where he and other leaders testified about the Defense Department’s fiscal year 2025 budget request when Code Pink members expressed discontent with U.S. policy toward Israel.
“We believe that he knows not to say ‘this is not a genocide’ and he knows that Israel is violating international law and American law, so he should stand up and say that and not collaborate with the Israeli army like so many Thousands of civilians have been murdered and more are dying every day,” Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin told Fox News Digital.
In videos posted on X, Austin is seen leaving the committee hearing as Code Pink members wait in a hallway.
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Members of the anti-war activist group Code Pink with their hands painted red to symbolize blood and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The group confronted Austin on Wednesday to demand that the United States stop supporting Israel. (Getty Images; AP)
“The world isn’t safer,” one person is heard saying as Austin walks away.
“Stop supporting mass murders,” said another.
“Israel attacked the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Israel has instigated a broader conflict,” a person is heard saying off camera. “Iran hasn’t killed anyone yet, but if it continues to weaponize Israel’s genocide, things will escalate.”
The Israeli attack on Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus earlier this month killed two Iranian generals and five officers, Iran said. In response, Iran launched dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), Also known as drones, they attacked Israel on Saturday, although many were destroyed and failed to hit their targets, Israeli officials said.
In addition to fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have fought Iran-backed Hezbollah on a second front on the Israel-Lebanon border since October 7.
Critics of Israel’s military offensive have claimed that the Jewish state is committing acts of genocide against Palestinians, which has been refuted by Israeli and US officials.
“In terms of the way Israel is behaving, we condemn what Russia is doing in Ukraine and yet Israel has killed many more civilians in six months than the Russians have in more than two years,” Benjamin said.
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A member of Code Pink was arrested during Wednesday’s hearing, the group said in X.
“Secretary Austin has blood on his hands,” the woman, who was only referred to as Helen, said as she was taken into custody.
“You can take me into the hallway, but you can’t shut your mouth! I’m outraged that my country is committing genocide!” she said.
Fox News Digital has contacted the Department of Defense.
Code Pink is known for protesting the United States’ involvement or support in various conflicts. The group describes itself as a “grassroots feminist organization working to end American war and imperialism.”
A man cries after Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, Gaza. (Belal Khaled/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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Among its causes, the group opposes US sanctions on Iran, Venezuela, North Korea and Cuba, as well as torture, the detention center in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, armed drones and spies, and the processing of complainants.
“We support Palestinian rights, diplomacy and growing local peace economies,” the group states on its website.
“This conflict began 75 years ago. It did not begin on October 7,” Benjamin said, referring to the founding of Israel. “The Palestinian people have been dispossessed and oppressed for all these years and there will always be some kind of resistance.”
