Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday condemned what she called "despicable acts by unpatriotic protestors and dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric" in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's congressional address and official state visit.

Protesters on Capitol Hill burned at least one U.S. flag on Wednesday, when Netanyahu gave the address. 

Harris, the leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, castigated "any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas" – the Palestinian-backed militant group controls Gaza and that carried out an terror attack in October 2023 that killed an estimated 1,200 people in Israel. 

"Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation," said Harris, who was campaigning in Indiana when Netanyahu spoke on Capitol Hill. "That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America. It should never be desecrated in that way."