House Speaker Mike Johnson has warned fellow lawmakers ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday that anyone who tries to disrupt the speech will be subject to arrest.
In a letter, Johnson said that extra sergeants-at-arms and Capitol Police would be on hand to deal with any disruptions, noting he has adopted a “zero-tolerance” position from lawmakers and any guests they bring.
“If any disturbance does occur, the Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police will remove the offending visitor(s) from the gallery and subject them to arrest,” Johnson wrote. If any lawmakers are involved in disruptions, they will be asked to cease and desist by the sergeant-at-arms.
Protesters are planning demonstrations outside the Capitol during Netanyahu’s visit, including a planned 5,000-person “march” demanding the arrest of the Israeli prime minister, the Daily Wire reported.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who has officially become the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, will not be overseeing Netanyahu’s address. Instead, she will participate in a separate event for the historically-black Zeta Phi Beta sorority, as reported by the Times of Israel. The chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Ben Cardin, will conduct the joint session instead.
Johnson accused Harris of “abandoning her seat” and called her absence “inexcusable.”
In 2015, when Netanyahu last addressed a joint session of Congress, almost 60 Democrats refused to attend. This time around, a larger number of Democrats are expected to boycott the speech.
Hundreds of anti-Israel protesters gathered inside the Capitol’s Cannon Building on Tuesday, causing staff and interns to barricade themselves in their offices, as reported by Fox News. Several demonstrators were arrested. Johnson declared that there will be an increased police presence around the Capitol complex and the House Chamber.
The prime minister’s speech is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. EDT.
Meanwhile, HBO “Real Time” host Bill Maher torched Harris and her prospects of defeating former President Donald Trump in November’s election.
Maher slammed Harris for being deeply unlikable and reminded viewers that she won zero delegates when she ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020.
