DC mayor, police chief to testify before House lawmakers on George Washington University protests

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and police chief Pamela Smith will testify before the House Oversight Committee Wednesday to discuss ongoing anti-Israel protests and an encampment on the campus of George Washington University (GWU).

The mayor’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital Tuesday that the mayor and the police chief will testify at the hearing. 

The confirmation comes after Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, criticized D.C. leadership for not responding to the university’s request to help respond to protests that have grown increasingly combative in recent days. 

Anti-Israel agitators at GWU are urging administrators not to call police to clear their encampment, which has remained on the campus for 13 days. 

COLLEGES THAT ONCE EMBRACED ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS NOW CHANGING THEIR TUNE AS ENCAMPMENTS GROW MORE CHAOTIC

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will will testify before the House Oversight Committee Wednesday to discuss ongoing anti-Israel protests at George Washington University. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Protesters in GWU’s U-Yard have erected tents and displayed Palestinian flags at their encampment. They also defaced a statue of the campus’ namesake, former President George Washington, with Palestinian iconography, which includes slamming “Free Palestine” stickers onto the statue.

Even more alarmingly, demonstrators on campus have called for the ‘guillotine’ for school administrators, a video posted to social media recently showed.

“Guillotine, Guillotine, Guillotine, Guillotine” a person with a bullhorn could be heard chanting as other demonstrators joined in.

A large American flag is unfurled at George Washington University in Washington D.C. on Friday, May 3, 2024. Anti-Israel protests are continuing throughout the campus. (Fox News)

Comer said the House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing to “seek answers from local leaders on steps being taken to ensure this unlawful activity ends.”

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The Hearing on “Oversight of D.C.’s Response to Unlawful Activity and Antisemitism” is set to begin at 1 p.m. EST in the 2154 Rayburn House Office Building. 

Fox News Digital’s Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.