Outrage in D.C. as Code Pink Activist Found Not Guilty in Assault on Jewish Leader Over Israeli Flag

By: Fern Sidman

In a controversial ruling on Tuesday that has drawn sharp condemnation from Jewish advocacy groups, Judge Campbell of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia found Janine Ali, a member of the radical left-wing group Code Pink, not guilty of physically assaulting a Jewish activist during a pro-Israel demonstration inside the U.S. Capitol.

According to courtroom testimony and statements from Betar, a prominent international Zionist youth movement, Ali assaulted Betar Washington Director Kimm Sumrall on November 13, 2024, by grabbing and pulling an Israeli flag tied around Sumrall’s neck, causing her to lose balance and suffer injury. Despite a police officer testifying in court that he witnessed the assault, Judge Campbell ruled in favor of Ali, triggering immediate backlash from the Jewish community and Israel advocates.

“Today, in Washington, D.C., we learn that attacks on Jews in America—even inside the Capitol Building—are permissible,” Sumrall said after the verdict.

The incident occurred during a confrontation between pro-Israel and pro-Hamas demonstrators in the Capitol. Janine Ali, a frequent agitator at anti-Israel protests who is affiliated with the militant feminist group Code Pink, approached Sumrall during a demonstration and grabbed the Israeli flag tied around her neck.

“All I did was grab it,” Ali said in court, referring to the flag. But that “grab” reportedly jerked Sumrall’s head back, causing physical harm and nearly knocking her to the ground.

Despite corroborating testimony from a U.S. Capitol Police officer, Judge Campbell ruled that Ali’s  actions did not meet the threshold for criminal assault—prompting outcry from Jewish leaders, human rights advocates, and Zionist organizations.

Betar, (which is a Zionist movement that was founded 101 years ago by the legendary Jewish leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky in Riga, Latvia) reacted with fury to the verdict. Sumrall, who serves as the movement’s Washington director, warned of a growing climate of impunity for anti-Jewish violence in American cities, including the nation’s capital.

“We learn that not only can pro-Hamas activists harass members of Congress daily, but they can also beat Jews in the Capitol Building,” Sumrall said. “A police officer testified that he witnessed the assault, and yet this terrorist, who proudly supports Hamas, was found not guilty.”

Sumrall pointed to the presence of Code Pink co-founder Madea Benjamin and other far-left agitators in the courtroom, calling them “the biggest Jihadis in DC” and accusing them of encouraging violence under the banner of anti-Zionist activism.

Janine Ali is no stranger to controversy. A fixture at anti-Israel protests, she has been repeatedly photographed alongside Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and is known for her incendiary rhetoric supporting Hamas and condemning Israel. Her association with Code Pink, an organization that has staged disruptive protests inside congressional hearings and even international embassies, has raised longstanding concerns among national security observers.

Code Pink has been increasingly radicalized, embracing openly anti-Israel and pro-Hamas messaging, particularly following the October 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel. The group has led frequent sit-ins, protests, and disruptions in the Capitol—many of which have targeted Jewish lawmakers, Israeli diplomats, and Zionist organizations.

“Code Pink is a dangerous domestic terrorist organization that has wreaked havoc upon this nation and our country’s capital,” said Sumrall.

Jon I. Mantell, CEO of Betar USA, also issued a defiant statement following the court’s ruling, urging American Jews to “wake up to the growing threat of jihadism” in the U.S. and to fight back—politically and legally—against those who target them.

“So many American cities have failed justice systems and permit attacks upon Jews,” Mantell said. “But the days of Jews marching quietly into the night are behind us.”

Mantell went on to encourage Diaspora Jews to make Aliyah, or immigration to Israel, if possible, or to join the fight against anti-Jewish hatred in the U.S.

“Turning the other cheek was never a Jewish idea,” Mantell declared. “We will not bow our heads to Jihadis that call for the genocide of our people—in Israel or America.”

Jewish advocacy organizations fear that the ruling will set a dangerous precedent, emboldening anti-Israel activists to escalate their tactics without fear of legal repercussions. The fact that the incident took place in the Capitol Building—America’s most symbolically important political space—has only intensified those concerns.

“Add the capital of the U.S. to the list of cities that are unsafe for Jews,” Sumrall warned in remarks to the media.

Betar leaders also announced plans to ramp up their activism under the banner of “Betar Code Blue,” a direct response to Code Pink’s increasingly violent actions. The movement pledges to intensify public demonstrations, engage legal channels, and hold lawmakers accountable for enabling “pro-Hamas domestic terrorism.”

The acquittal of Janine Ali despite direct police testimony and visual evidence is being viewed by many in the Jewish community as a frightening sign of what’s to come. As anti-Zionist agitation and anti-Semitic violence becomes more aggressive and normalized within the halls of government, and courts fail to uphold even basic protections for Jews under physical attack, organizations such as Betar say they will no longer rely on traditional legal or political systems for justice.

“Sadly, today, America has become less safe for Jews,” Sumrall was quoted as saying. “But we will not be silent. We will stand strong, loud, and proud—for Israel, for America, and for the truth.”

In the wake of this decision, Jewish and Zionist groups across the country are mobilizing for not just a legal battle—but a cultural and existential one.