Rio Rancho, NM — Last night, a hate-motivated attack outside of the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. claimed the lives of two Israeli Embassy staffers. While this is an ongoing investigation, law enforcement officials have announced they have Elias Rodriguez in custody and believe he acted alone.
In response to this tragic and senseless act of violence, Senator Craig Brandt, (R-Rio Rancho) founder and co-chair of the Friends with Israel Caucus in the New Mexico Legislature, has issued the following statement:
“I am deeply saddened by this horrific attack on the Jewish community. This is a direct result of the ongoing violent rhetoric promulgated by the pro-hamas and anti-Israel activist groups we see in communities around the country. I support and will continue to defend the First Amendment Right to Free Speech of anyone or any group of people; however, when calls to violence and the elimination of an entire nation are a core pillar of your rhetoric, that cannot be tolerated. As stated by Joshua Hoffman: ‘When one group’s “freedom” includes chanting for the eradication of another, that’s not protest. That’s incitement.’
We must be responsible for the things we say, ‘from the river to the sea,’ calls for the annihilation of Israel and its people. Calls for violence such as this are disgusting and cause harm to others. Express your views in a responsible manner, not in a way that causes innocent people to die.”
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