Anti-Israel protesters shouted down CNN host Dana Bash during her own book event on Thursday evening, accusing her of being “complicit” in genocide.
At least two protesters repeatedly shouted that Bash belongs “behind bars” for allegedly being complicit in “killing” children in Gaza and lying about the war while the CNN host promoted her new book, “America’s Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History,” according to the New York Post. Bash demanded the protesters shouting at her to remove their masks and reveal themselves.
“You belong behind bars! You belong behind bars! We know who you are, we know what you’re saying, [that] it’s not a war! It has never been a war. It is ethnic cleansing. It is genocide. There are children getting bombed, bombed, bombed, bombed, bombed! … You are complicit in the genocide!”
“Take your mask off,” Bash repeatedly said, as the protester continued shouting.
Bash had the same response to a separate protester accusing her of taking millions of dollars from Zionists and from APAC.
“You call yourself a good journalist? Report the truth, but instead you want millions from Zionists, you want millions from APAC, you’re taking millions and you’re living in that house all alone! That multi-million dollar house,” the second protester said. “You’re taking it to spew lies about the Palestinian people. You lied about the amputees. You lie about people who have been involved in hospitals. You lie about the students and the encampments. They are just trying to exercise their free speech to help their family and friends back home.”
Two men appearing to be security guards escorted the shouting protesters out of the event.
Bash, who’s Jewish, has previously criticized the anti-Israel protests that have taken place on college campuses throughout the U.S., warning the protests are “on the brink of violence” and putting Jewish students in danger during an April 22 CNN segment.
“It is not just Palestinians rights. I, uh, got the, the, the letter that we reported on that the rabbi at Columbia sent saying that Jewish students, ‘you’re not safe here,’ from a parent of a Columbia University student,” Bash said. “I got it yesterday morning. And this person’s daughter has heard things like, ‘You’re a Nazi.’ Things like, um, you know, ‘Go, go kill yourself’ and other — and even worse things. That’s not protest. That’s harassment, and it is on the brink of violence.”
“And the fact that these Jewish students feel so unsafe and it is, um, so systemic when it comes from — ultimately, going back from classes that don’t necessarily get policed — that is dangerous,” Bash continued.
Bash also called out the Democratic progressive caucus for inaccurately using the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s war against Hamas during a discussion with Democratic New York Rep. Ritchie Torres on Dec. 4.
A CNN spokesperson said the network “firmly stands by” Bash and her reporting of the anti-Israel protests on college campuses, according to the New York Post.tedeytan_
“We firmly stand by her and her reporting, and while we respect the right of free speech, we will not be intimidated and will continue to cover all subjects without fear or favor,” a CNN spokesperson told the New York Post.
Editor’s Note: This piece has been updated to clarify that Rep. Torres agreed with Bash’s statement during their Dec. 4 interview
