COTTON DEMANDS DOJ TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AGAINST PRO-HAMAS MOBS
Cotton Demands DOJ Take Immediate Action Against Pro-Hamas Mobs
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) yesterday sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging him to direct the Department of Justice to investigate members of pro-Hamas mobs that attempted to obstruct U.S. military ships from delivering aid to Israel. Senator Cotton noted that trespassing on or damaging military property breaks several federal laws, and those who do so should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
“The Department of Justice must take immediate action against these criminals; otherwise, it will send a dangerous message that radical activists can undermine our Armed Forces with impunity.”
Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
November 7, 2023
The Honorable Merrick Garland
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W.
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Attorney General Garland,
I write to urge immediate action against radical, pro-Hamas mobs who are committing crimes to impede the delivery of U.S. security aid to Israel.
Yesterday, hundreds of pro-Hamas extremists shut down the Port of Tacoma to obstruct what they believed to be a military ship transporting military aid to Israel. A few days earlier, many of these same saboteurs reportedly blocked the entrance to a port in Oakland, tampered with a military ship’s mooring lines, and attempted to scale the ship with a rope ladder. Any attempt to impede and interfere with U.S. military movements, like attempting to trespass on or damage military property, breaks several federal laws. Each person involved in these schemes should be arrested promptly and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Further, two left-wing extremist groups, the Bay Area Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) and the Tacoma Democratic Socialists of America, coordinated and organized these criminal mobs, for instance, by operating shuttle services to transport the saboteurs. The members and leaders of those groups should also be investigated and prosecuted, including for criminal conspiracy.
The Department of Justice must take immediate action against these criminals; otherwise, it will send a dangerous message that radical activists can undermine our Armed Forces with impunity.
Thank you for your attention to this vital matter of national security.
Sincerely,
_____________
Tom Cotton
United States Senator
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold (202) 224-2353
November 8, 2023
https://www.cotton.senate.gov/ – Midtown Tribune news video –