Ilhan Omar blasted as she objects to October 7 Hamas attack footage being shown at UCLA

WASHINGTON, DC: Representative Ilhan Omar found herself at the center of a firestorm after defending pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) during a congressional hearing last week.

The Minnesota Democrat faced widespread backlash for criticizing the university's decision to allow pro-Israel counter-protesters to display footage of the deadly October 7 attacks carried out by Palestinian militants, as reported by Breitbart.

Ilhan Omar labels UCLA pro-Israel demonstrators as 'vile' for showing footage of October 7 attacks

On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups initiated armed incursions from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. This marked the first invasion of Israeli territory since the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.

The attacks resulted in the deaths of 1,139 people, including 695 Israeli civilians (38 of whom were children), 71 foreign nationals, and 373 members of the security forces.

During a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on Thursday, May 23, Omar questioned UCLA Chancellor Gene Block regarding antisemitism at UCLA and other campuses. The hearing included testimonies from college presidents of Northwestern and Rutgers.

As reported by various media outlets, the pro-Palestinian encampment began on April 25, occupying a public area at UCLA, a public university. The activists involved in the encampment used antisemitic rhetoric and barred Jewish students and journalists from entering.

To avoid confrontation, the university did not allow University of California police or campus security to intervene, effectively permitting the activists to form their own police force and set up checkpoints on campus.

Pro-Israel demonstrators from surrounding communities, which are heavily Jewish, staged counter-protests. A large screen funded partly by Jerry Seinfeld’s wife, Jessica Seinfeld, displayed footage of the October 7 Hamas attacks in a public area.

Omar characterized the pro-Palestinian students and Palestinians as victims in addition to condemning the footage shown by pro-Israel demonstrators as "vile." Omar's own history of anti-Israel views has been widely documented.

Omar also dismissed concerns about a Jewish student’s inability to walk on a path at UCLA, instead criticizing the university for not adequately protecting pro-Palestinian protesters.

Ilhan Omar's objection to showing footage of October 7 attacks at UCLA sparks fury online

Omar's comments objecting to showing footage of the October 7 attacks at UCLA sparked widespread backlash across social media. One user on Facebook remarked, "She should be removed. An obvious supporter of terrorism shouldn’t be making our laws." Another user commented, "The truth would definitely upset her propaganda."

Further criticism followed, with a third user stating, "Omar what a worthless insignificant nobody. Voters in Minnesota really know how pick the worst idiot." A fourth user wrote, "Of course, she is going to object, she is a bottom feeder. She doesn't want people to see the truth."

Additional remarks included, "She’s a disgrace and so are the people who vote for her," and "Ship this poor excuse for a human being out of our beloved country!" An eighth user added, "Minnesota, smarten up, and don't vote for this anti-American heathen back into Washington." 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.