Speaker Johnson calls for pro-Hamas protesters to be jailed after riots

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday called for pro-Hamas demonstrators to be arrested and jailed, after unlawful riots broke out on Wednesday over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress.

United States Capitol Police officers used pepper spray on rioters on the National Mall during the speech, after thousands of protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., for the speech. Protests also broke out in Chicago, and New York, according to Fox News.

Johnson said that he agreed with Netanyahu's assertion during his speech that the protesters were "useful idiots for Iran," because the Middle Eastern country is allegedly funding the riots through proxies.

"Look, we respect free speech, of course, but they are desecrating monuments, destroying public property, and they need to be arrested and sent to jail if they're going to act like that and support a bloodthirsty terrorist regime," Johnson told Fox News host Dana Perino. "They are, in fact, what Prime Minister Netanyahu said in his speech yesterday: useful idiots for the cause of Iran."

The demonstrators spray-painted monuments in downtown D.C., and a throng of protesters pulled down an American flag at Union Station. They also threw the flag on the ground and burned it. 

Only 23 protesters were arrested over the events by various law enforcement agencies, including nine by the Metropolitan Police Department. Charges include assault on a police officer and crossing a police line.

Johnson said the House is looking into the charges, but he is grateful that no protests occurred within the Capitol during the address. The House Speaker had sent  a "dear colleagues" letter to lawmakers on Tuesday, warning them not to disturb the speech and to keep their guests under control. 

"I made it clear to our colleagues we would have zero tolerance for disturbances inside the chamber during the prime minister's address, and I'm grateful that all that was heeded," Johnson said.

Johnson also praised Netanyahu's address, claiming that his strong leadership is what the United States needs.

"Joe Biden is not providing that strength. He's projecting weakness," Johnson said. "That's why all of this chaos is being allowed to take place around the globe and here domestically ... We cannot allow the terrorist mobs to win."

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.