A group of pro-Hamas rioters overwhelmed an understaffed US Park Police force during a riot with a ‘terrorist sympathizing mob’ in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

Park Police Fraternal Order of Police chairman Kenneth Spencer described the harrowing situation, where just 29 officers faced off against a mob outside Union Station, a mere blocks from the Capitol, as reported by The New York Post.

“We were primarily alone,” said Spencer, a 15-year veteran. Despite years of “empty promises” to increase the agency’s budget from Congress and the Interior Department, Spencer noted the force remains critically understaffed. “Especially in the D.C. area, everybody’s so understaffed just like we are,” he explained.

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The rioters targeted the Park Police with various projectiles, including items that emitted “a very strong smell of feces.”

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Despite the chaos, the officers managed to hold their ground. “We have a huge mission. We’re the agency that protects First Amendment rights when people come to visit D.C.,” Spencer emphasized, while also noting the agency’s responsibility for protecting major soft targets across the country.

The demonstration saw rioters vandalizing monuments with graffiti such as “Hamas is coming” and tearing down U.S. flags, attempting to replace them with Palestinian banners.

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The unrest coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress, where he condemned anti-Israel demonstrators.

“When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting, and funding you — you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” Netanyahu declared.

The situation for the outnumbered Park Police became dire as they faced increasing aggression. Just 10 arrests were made, with two occurring away from the clash at Columbus Circle and the remaining eight by D.C. police.

House National Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) urged Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to provide additional officers and support to the Park Police.

“I don’t see how you could classify that as a peaceful protest,” Westerman remarked, praising the officers’ efforts. “If the Park Police only had 29 officers there to deal with that crowd, I would say they did a remarkable job of keeping things under control as well as they did.”

A National Park Service spokesperson claimed no resource requests had been made or declined before the demonstration.

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The House Oversight Committee is now considering an investigation into the riot and any potential foreign terrorist group connections, with Westerman criticizing Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, for enabling years of destructive demonstrations.

“It’s way too little, too late for them to come out and condemn things,” he said. Harris condemned the “despicable acts by unpatriotic protestors and dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric” of the riot in a Thursday morning statement.

In response to the vandalism, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other GOP members restored the U.S. flags at Union Station. “Some of the national icons and the property, burning the flags, everything that we’re supposed to do and protect — we weren’t able to effectively do it,” Spencer lamented.

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Spencer has been vocal about the chronic understaffing and lack of support from Congress and the Department of the Interior. “I’ve done everything in my power to address this with Congress, DOI, Park Service, even the White House. Nothing’s been done,” he stated. “If 2020 were to happen again in front of the White House or in front of the Capitol or the Lincoln Memorial — anywhere downtown in Washington, D.C. — we are not going to be able to complete our mission,” he warned.

The Metropolitan Police Department charged five individuals for blocking traffic near the Capitol, including Chloe Moussa, 22, Lance Rami Farouk Lokas, Page Thorin, 24, Anam Hussain, 23, and Aiya Bettinger, 20. Most hailed from states outside the D.C. metro region.

Additional arrests included two for crossing a police line and two for assaulting an officer, one of whom was a 15-year-old from Ohio.

US Capitol Police coordinated with the Park Police but made no arrests at Union Station. Six individuals were taken into custody by Capitol Police for disrupting Netanyahu’s speech: Michael Levy, 41, Carmit Palty Katzir, 45, Gil Dickmann, 32, Leat Ruben, 37, Alon Gat, 37, and Shahar Mor, 52.

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