Bowser hearing canceled after pro-Palestinian encampment cleared at GW because of Comer

The House Oversight Committee called off a hearing regarding the District of Columbia’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests at George Washington University after Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that police had removed an encampment and made arrests. The hearing, which was supposed to include testimony from Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith, was part of House Republicans’ efforts to address rising antisemitism on college campuses. However, Chairman James Comer decided to cancel the hearing after the encampment was cleared, citing the need for answers as to why the mayor did not enforce the law sooner. The chairman praised Bowser and Smith for taking action following the potential hearing. Bowser reported 33 arrests in connection with the protests, with charges ranging from unlawful trespassing to assaulting a police officer. The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that individuals from a similar encampment at Columbia University had traveled to join the protests at George Washington University. The response to the protests was prompted in part by a letter from Rep. Josh Gottheimer urging Bowser to intervene. The exact details of the letter and its impact remain unclear. The Truth Voices attempted to contact Gottheimer for further comment.