(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The White House rebuked a disturbing anti-Israeli event held in Dearborn, Michigan, where activists chanted “death to America” and labeled the U.S. as one of “the rottenest countries.”
In a Monday statement to the Daily Caller, the White House reacted negatively to the disturbing rhetoric voiced at a rally celebrating International Al-Quds Day, a holiday aimed at criticizing Israel and Zionism.
“The White House condemns these abhorrent and Antisemitic remarks in the strongest terms,” said White House spokesperson Andrew Bates. “As President Biden has said, America is the greatest nation on Earth and a beacon to the world.”
At International Al-Quds Day Rally in Dearborn, Michigan Protesters Chant “Death to America!”; Speakers at the Rally: America Is One of the “Rottenest Countries” on Earth; Israel Is ISIS, Nazis, a Cancer pic.twitter.com/B6hMlaKfi5
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) April 7, 2024
During the contentious rally, Michigan activist Tarek Bazzi rallied his supporters while voicing disturbing anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiments.
“Gaza has shown the entire world why these protests are so anti-America,” Bazzi claimed, likely referring to blowback against Israeli actions resulting in loss of human life in the Gaza Strip. “Because it’s the United States government that provides the funds for all of the atrocities that we just heard about.”
In response to Bazzi, who spoke in front of a flag bearing the colors of Jordan, one attendee concurrently shouted, “Death to America! Death to America!” according to the Middle East Media Research Institute.
Further expanding on his anti-American speech, Bazzi quoted purported remarks by Malcolm X: “‘We live in one of the rottenest countries that has ever existed on this earth.’” He added, “It’s not ‘Genocide Joe’ that has to go, it’s the entire system that has to go.”
Coinciding with Bazzi’s remarks were chants of “Death to Israel! Death to Israel!” from the attendees.
Later during the rally, Michigan Iman Usama Abdulghani echoed Bazzi’s sentiments, hailing Imam Khomeini, the former and first Iranian supreme leader, for declaring International Al-Quds Day.
“Iman Khomeini recognized that Israel is an evil settler colonialist project,” Abdulghani exclaimed. “He realized it is a cancer and he established this day.”
During his remarks, Bazzi celebrated that Israel — which he deemed a “sacred cow” — is facing criticism for its military operations in the Gaza Strip, where several hostages remained captive following Hamas’s invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7.
“Nobody could criticize Israel,” he claimed. “Everybody was terrified of being anti-Semitic. Everybody was afraid of them—but now the people with conscience very openly will criticize Israel.”
The protest comes as President Joe Biden grapples with criticism from pro-Palestinian supporters as he campaigns for re-election.
This ire was evident in Michigan, where a significant portion of voters, totaling 101,457 individuals (13.2%) of Democrats voted “undecided.” This challenge could have damning implications for Democrats, as Michigan is considered crucial for a potential Biden re-election.
