Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) led a letter to Executive Director of The People's Forum Manolo De Los Santos as part of an ongoing investigation into the pro-Hamas riots at Union Station on July 24, 2024. The People’s Forum and their partner organization, ANSWER Coalition, organized the violent protests. In part, the members wrote:

"The People’s Forum’s activities on July 24, 2024, and their engagement in anti-Israel protests across the U.S. targeting college campuses and critical infrastructure are part of the broader “Shut it Down for Palestine” (SID4P) movement, whose membership roster is comprised of radical anti-Israel organizations. ANSWER’s social media posts in the month preceding the July 24 demonstration list collaborative event partners, which include the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Code Pink, and The People’s Forum. Concerningly, these groups and their affiliates not only destroy property and cause violence on university campuses and federal lands, but also have ties to U.S. foreign adversaries like Hamas, Iran, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

"The People’s Forum and its partner organizations under SID4P, including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and AMP, have well-documented connections to Hamas and Iran.  For example, SJP and AMP founder Hatem Bazian raised money for KindHearts, which was investigated and had its assets frozen due to coordination with Hamas and Hamas officials. Furthermore, the White House acknowledges that Iran is involved in funding U.S.-based anti-Israel organizations and protests. These Iran and Hamas-backed organizations include CAIR and AMP, which partnered with The People’s Forum to protest on July 24, 2024."

To read the full letter, click here.

Background

The House Committee on Natural Resources is investigating the destructive protests and riots that took place on July 24, 2024, at Columbus Circle, the National Mall and other NPS property in Washington, D.C. Hamas-sympathetic protestors vandalized many of these sites in conjunction with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint session of Congress. Through this investigation, the committee has uncovered the groups who organized these destructive protests and has found concerning ties between the organizers and foreign sources including, but not limited to, the Chinese Communist Party and Hamas. This investigation is ongoing and working in conjunction with additional committees of jurisdiction investigating ANSWER and similar groups that have protested on college campuses and throughout the United States since October 7, 2023.

Read the committee’s initial letter following the destructive protests here.