Zachary Allen Kam, a 24-year-old resident of Chicago, has been arrested and charged with assaulting two police officers during protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the U.S. Congress on July 24, 2024. The protests, which took place at Columbus Circle in front of Washington’s Union Station, were marked by significant unrest and vandalism.
Kam was apprehended in Illinois, and is expected to make his initial court appearance shortly thereafter. He is among at least three individuals charged in connection with the July demonstration, which has drawn attention for its aggressive confrontations between protesters and law enforcement.
According to a police affidavit, the incident escalated when U.S. Park Police officers were arresting a protester who had pulled down a flagpole. Kam approached one officer, forcibly pulled him down, and dragged him several feet, resulting in scrapes and bruises for the officer. After initially fleeing into the crowd, Kam returned moments later and assaulted another officer by pulling him to the ground.
Kam was eventually arrested approximately four hours later near John Marshall Park. His actions during the protest have raised serious concerns about public safety and the conduct of demonstrations in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Mathew Graves issued a statement emphasizing that “assaulting a federal officer during the course of a protest is not constitutionally protected speech; it is a federal crime.” This statement underscores the seriousness with which federal authorities are treating violence against law enforcement during protests.
While protesters initially obtained a permit to demonstrate outside Union Station, the U.S. Park Police revoked this permit later that day after failing to contact protest organizers. The National Park Service reported that cleanup and repairs from the protest cost over $11,000.
The protests against Netanyahu’s address were characterized by displays of antisemitism and support for Hamas, including graffiti and slogans that sparked outrage among various communities.
Other individuals involved in the protests have also faced legal consequences. Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, 26, from Richmond, Virginia, was arrested for spray-painting “Hamas is coming” on a monument during the same demonstration. Additionally, Isabella Giordano, 20, from Towson, Maryland, was charged with defacing a fountain with “Gaza.”