Mark Robinson blasts Democrats for DC anti-Israel protest ahead of Trump rally

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson slammed Democrats after anti-Israel demonstrations erupted in Washington, D.C., and as former President Donald Trump holds a rally in his state on Wednesday.

Thousands of pro-Palestinians gathered in the nation’s capital on Wednesday to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘s address to Congress. Videos shared on social media showed demonstrators assaulting police near Union Station and reportedly threatening to kill pro-Israel counterprotesters.

Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor in North Carolina, took to social media to criticize protesters for pulling down and burning the American flag and lifting a Palestinian flag in its place. He took it a step further by blaming Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic lawmakers for not attending the prime minister's address.

“These are the radical activists that @kamalaharris & supporters are placating by boycotting the Israeli prime minister’s speech to Congress,” the Republican North Carolinian said in a post to X. His words come as Trump holds a rally in his battleground state.

“Josh Stein, Kamala Harris and the Democrats side with Hamas terrorists. The rest of us stand with Israel,” Robinson continued. While Harris did not attend Netanyahu‘s address to Congress on Wednesday, the White House said her support for Israel remains " unwavering ."

Robinson is North Carolina's first black lieutenant governor, and he is challenging Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein in a bid to succeed Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC). While Stein has largely steered clear of a concrete position on the Israel-Gaza conflict, some critics say that the Harvard graduate has failed to sufficiently condemn antisemitic protests on college campuses. If elected, Stein would be North Carolina’s first Jewish governor.

Robinson is a controversial figure for past comments and actions, such as Facebook posts he made in 2017 and 2017 that critics say downplayed the Holocaust.

“I am so sick of seeing and hearing people STILL talk about Nazis and Hitler and how evil and manipulative they were. NEWS FLASH PEOPLE, THE NAZIS (National Socialist) ARE GONE! We did away with them,” Robison wrote in 2017.

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Robison has since backtracked his remarks, saying in October, “There have been some Facebook posts that were poorly worded on my part, did not convey my real sentiments, and I have addressed those issues and moved on from those issues.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Robinson and Stein campaigns.