Report: Leftist Protesters Block WWII Veterans from Attending Pearl Harbor Ceremony
Climate activists caused gridlock in and around the Washington Mall in D.C. on Tuesday morning as World War II veterans were trying to make their way to a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
WJLA-TV reported that the first ceremony hosted by the Friends of the National World War II Memorial took place at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, when the names of those killed were read.
Happening now at the #WWII Memorial: Reading of the Names of the fallen from December 7, 1941 #PearlHarbor80 pic.twitter.com/o6ET3cUsW9
— WWII Memorial Friends (@WWIIMemorial) December 7, 2021
Conservative podcaster Lyndsey Fifield tweeted, “This morning WWII veterans aren’t able to get to their own monument in DC to honor the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor because the malformed screeching children of #shutdownDC are intentionally blocking traffic and throwing a tantrum for no reason.”
This morning WWII veterans aren’t able to get to their own monument in DC to honor the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor because the malformed screeching children of #shutdownDC are intentionally blocking traffic and throwing a tantrum for no reason
— Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) December 7, 2021
Fifield, who works at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News that she witnessed “no confrontations between the protesters and veterans.”
She explained that the veterans were just “caught in the overall gridlock caused by the blockades,” and that she helped a group looking to get around the protests to the World War II Memorial.
The Washington Post reported multiple streets were blocked as climate activists participated in ShutDownDC.
The protests were aimed at demanding congressional action on multiple issues on the liberal wish list, including climate change, immigration, racial justice and D.C. statehood.
Climate protesters begin blocking intersections in Washington DC to block rush hour traffic. Here is the beginning of the demonstration at 7:10 am.#shutdowndc #ClimateCrisis pic.twitter.com/9JHUItiVCJ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 7, 2021
Specifically, in the near term, protesters want the Senate to pass Build Back Better legislation.
The House of Representatives passed the centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda last month with no Republican support and one Democratic defector.
The $2.2 trillion spending bill would launch multiple new and expanded entitlement programs such as universal pre-K, expanded child tax credits, paid family and medical leave, increased coverage under the Affordable Care Act and rental assistance payments.
“When healthcare is under attack…”
Protesters #shutdowndc continues since past two hours since 7am pic.twitter.com/76W4xPpNXC
— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) December 7, 2021
According to The New York Times, the single most expensive piece of the legislation is $555 billion for climate change programs.
In addition to the ceremony in D.C., UPI reported dozens of survivors of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor were set to attend the 80th Remembrance Ceremony at Kilo Pier in Honolulu.
Today, we stand with the survivors and veterans of the attack on #PearlHarbor to honor their service, and the service of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Spending time with our veterans is a privilege and inspiration, as their spirit of service before self remains undimmed. pic.twitter.com/gDmx3kdTHS
— Tulsi Gabbard ? (@TulsiGabbard) December 7, 2021
The surprise attack on U.S. military installations in the then-territory of Hawaii on Sunday morning, Dec. 7, 1941, resulted in the deaths of 2,400 service members and civilians.
The Japanese sank multiple battleships moored in Pearl Harbor — including the USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS West Virginia and USS California.
In the opening line of FDR’s historic speech after the Pearl Harbor attack, the president changed “a date which will live in world history” to “a date which will live in infamy.” pic.twitter.com/yJL3jy1A74
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) December 4, 2021
The following day, then-President Franklin Roosevelt spoke before a joint session of Congress calling for a declaration of war against Japan, which the lawmakers did in a near-unanimous vote.
World War II would end nearly four years later with the Japanese surrender on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
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