'Vile Act Of Hate': Hostage Posters Vandalized Outside Brad Schneider's Capitol Office

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Someone tore down posters featuring photos of hostages held in Gaza from the wall outside the Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider on July 4.

Schneider, who was in Highland Park marching in its Independence Day parade on Thursday, posted an image of the vandalism on social media, describing it as a "vile act of hate."

"Sadly, it was but one of many hateful, un-American actions that took place across the country on the day we celebrate freedom and democracy," Schneider said in a statement.

The photo of the hallway outside the congressman's office showed some of the posters of the more than 100 hostages, among them eight Americans, shredded and scattered on the floor.

The Capitol complex was closed to the public for the holiday, but congressional staffers and their guests still had access. Capitol Police have opened an investigation.

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"I’ve been disgusted by the videos and reports of individuals calling July 4th a 'terrorist holiday' and burning American flags," the congressman continued.

"It’s not just happening at my office in Washington, D.C.," he said. "More than 700 miles from the Capitol, my home was targeted last weekend at 2:30AM by approximately 50 masked demonstrators banging drums, blowing horns and screaming antisemitic chants."

The current conflict in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants and their allies launched a cross-border attack on southern Israel, taking about 250 captives and killing more than 1,100 people, among them more than 700 civilians.

Since then, 80 hostages were freed during a weeklong ceasefire last year and at least 18 hostages have died in captivity, not including three people who Hamas said were killed in a Israeli air strike in November, according to a tally by Forward, which reported the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes there are 124 hostages still in Gaza, but some of them are dead.

In December, Israeli forces killed three hostage by mistake as they waved a white flag on a stickand another during a failed rescue operation, according to Israeli military officials. One hostage was rescued in October and two more were rescued in February.

Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in over 38,000 deaths, according to Palestinian health officials, who do not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Much of the 2.3 million people who live in the walled enclave have been displaced, according to the United Nations, leading to severe humanitarian crises including widespread hunger and fears of famine.

Also Thursday, several hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in downtown Chicago in an event organized by the Coalition for Justice in Palestine, which describes itself as a representative of "all the major Palestinian and Arab organization" working on behalf of the Palestinian cause in the Chicago area.

Schneider attributed last week's early morning protest at his home to the coalition.

"These actions don’t advance peace," he said. "Instead, they play directly into the hands of Hamas terrorists enabling them to continue to hold hostage not only those they kidnapped from Israel, but all civilians in Gaza as well.”

Read more: 'Traumatizing' Pro-Palestinian Protesters Target Brad Schneider's Highland Park House