Philadelphia’s Chilling Anti-US Protest: “Cheering Caskets”

Anti-American Demonstrators in Philadelphia Vow to Celebrate US Soldier Deaths

A disturbing anti-American demonstration in Philadelphia has drawn widespread condemnation after protesters were filmed celebrating the potential deaths of US soldiers and praising terrorist organizations. Independent journalist Frankie Scales captured footage of the rally, which he posted on Tuesday, revealing a speaker who openly advocated for the downfall of the United States.

The masked speaker, whose face was obscured by a keffiyeh headdress, urged the crowd to “do everything in our power to bring the United States to its knees.” His inflammatory remarks continued with a chilling declaration: “For every US military base that crumbles and for every US soldier who returns home in a casket, we cheer.” This statement was met with enthusiastic applause from the assembled protesters.

The rally’s rhetoric extended to the glorification of several designated terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah. The speaker lauded these organizations, stating, “These popular voices on the ground spend every waking moment in direct confrontation with Zionism. And they rely on a strong Iranian state to maintain their fighting capacity.”

Following the speech, Scales approached the speaker, questioning him directly about his stance on America. The protester responded with a veiled threat, stating, “May a Hamas rocket blow up your family’s home.”

Journalist Reports on Protesters’ Hostility and Agenda

Frankie Scales, who has been covering pro-Iran and anti-America protests in Philadelphia since the recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East, detailed his experience at the demonstration to the Daily Mail. He stated that the protesters were “advocating for the destruction of the United States of America.” Scales believes the speaker’s words exposed the true nature of these demonstrators, asserting, “They aren’t concerned with human rights. Their goal is to tear down the West and the United States of America.”

Scales further reported hearing “many chants about how US soldiers should be killed and the United States should be destroyed.” He contrasted this with a notable absence of any condemnation for the casualties inflicted by the Iranian regime, noting, “But not one about the thousands of Iranians killed by the Islamic regime.”

The journalist also described significant efforts by the protesters to impede his recording. He claimed they “worked very hard to stop me from recording what was happening.” According to Scales, protesters “followed me, yelled into my microphone, formed human walls to impede my freedom of movement, and even spit on me.”

The protester Scales confronted was wearing a red hoodie and had his face covered. Many other demonstrators were similarly attired, displaying flags with Arabic inscriptions and signs bearing slogans such as “Amerika is the head of the snake” and “Right to resist, right to return.”

In a subsequent post, Scales identified some of the groups present at the demonstration, including Indivisible Philadelphia, Brandywine Peace Community, the Prayers for Peace Alliance, and CODEPINK.

Widespread Condemnation from Political Spectrum

The anti-American rally has elicited strong reactions from a wide range of political figures across the United States.

• Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman (Democrat): Fetterman condemned the demonstration as “truly appalling,” expressing outrage over protesters chanting for the deaths of American service members. He questioned the lack of condemnation from within the Democratic party.
• Texas Senator Ted Cruz (Republican): Cruz echoed Fetterman’s sentiments, calling the demonstration “sick” and agreeing with his assessment.
• Commentator Laura Ingraham: Ingraham labeled the demonstrators “traitors” and suggested “denaturalization is the only option.”
• Florida Congressman Randy Fine: Fine advocated for the denaturalization and deportation of all Muslim individuals involved, referring to them as “Muslim terrorists.”
• Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick (Republican): McCormick described the protests as “pure evil.”

• Republican Party Official Account: The official X account for the Republican Party denounced the rally as “absolutely abhorrent” and called for universal condemnation from all Democrats.
• Leo Terrell (Chair of Trump’s antisemitism task force): Terrell expressed his strong disapproval, exclaiming, “Get out!!!”

Previous Incidents Highlighted by Journalist

This is not the first time Scales has documented anti-American sentiment in Philadelphia. He has previously covered protests with pro-Iran and anti-America undertones since the conflict in the Middle East intensified on February 28. In one instance earlier this month, footage posted by Scales on March 3 showed a protester spitting a beverage at him while he was filming. At that time, Scales described the experience as “the most disgusting thing I have ever experienced.”

The Daily Mail has reportedly reached out to Senators Fetterman and McCormick for further commentary on the recent demonstration.