‘Won’t let you sleep’: Indian-American lawmaker harassed by Palestine supporters

Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar was targeted by a group of anti-Israel protesters over the weekend blowing car horns and screaming for his "silence" on the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza and his stand on the Israel-Hamas war.

Thanedar, 68, has taken a staunchly supportive approach to Israel following the horrific attack by Hamas militants on October 7.

"This is my home at 3 AM," Thanedar wrote in a post on X on Monday, including a video that showed cars lined in the street outside his home, an individual waving a cloth-like material, and others screaming through megaphones.

"You are complicit in the bombing of Gazaâ€æ Your silence is violence. Your silence is abhorrent, and we will not let you sleep!" one protester shouted.

"There will be a price to pay," the protester added before becoming largely inaudible.

Thanedar has expressed his strong support for Israel on his campaign website, including vowing to "defend Israel’s right to exist and to thrive."

"In this time of great international uncertainty, it is now more important than ever before to reaffirm as a people, and as a nation, our unequivocal support for the state of Israel, the lone Democracy in the Middle East and one of our closest, and strongest, allies across the globe," the Democratic Party lawmaker from Michigan wrote.

He has also described Hamas as a barbaric terrorist organisation and there is a need to eliminate the terror outfit.

Thanedar recently formed the Congressional Caucus for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains.

A Maharashtrian, Thanedar grew up in Belgaum in Karnataka. He came to the US in hopes of becoming a successful businessman and now wants to serve the community he lives with.