WASHINGTON — Vandals on July 4 tore photos of hostages in Gaza off the wall outside of the Capitol Hill office of Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Illlinois, his office said on Friday.

A photo Schneider posted on the social media website X showed how the ripped-off pictures littered the hallway of the Cannon House Office Building. The hostages were kidnapped Oct. 7 in Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel.

The vandalism comes in the wake of protesters loudly demonstrating outside of Schneider’s Highland Park home in the middle of the night last weekend.

Schneider is one of the most pro-Israel members of Congress.

Schneider said in a statement, “My Capitol office was vandalized yesterday in a vile act of hate in which the posters of the more than 100 people still held hostage in Gaza (including 8 Americans) were ripped from the wall, shredded and tossed across the hallway. This was a shameful act on any day, but especially on July 4, our country’s Independence Day. Sadly, it was but one of many hateful, un-American actions that took place across the country on the day we celebrate freedom and democracy.

“I’ve been disgusted by the videos and reports of individuals calling July 4th a ‘terrorist holiday’ and burning American flags. It’s not just happening at my office in Washington, D.C.,” Schneider said.

“More than 700 miles from the Capitol, my home was targeted last weekend at 2:30AM by approximately 50 masked demonstrators banging drums, blowing horns and screaming antisemitic chants. The same groups that were at my house earlier in the week marched through Chicago on July 4th, not calling for peace, but rather condemning the United States of America,” he said.

“These actions don’t advance peace. Instead, they play directly into the hands of Hamas terrorists enabling them to continue to hold hostage not only those they kidnapped from Israel, but all civilians in Gaza as well.”

The sports betting handle increased by 183 per cent year-on-year.

US.- Washington DC’s sports betting handle was $35.4m in May, up 183 per cent compared to May 2023, establishing a new record for the District. Revenue was $5.4m, also a new high, and tax receipts reached $544,600.

FanDuel’s new sports betting app for the DC Lottery dominated the market, taking 84 per cent of Washington DC’s sports wagers. The DC Lottery saw wagers of $30.6m, with $29.7m coming through the new FanDuel app and $898,671 from the old GambetDC app. Caesars followed with $2.7m worth of wagers. BetMGM took $1.6m.

The Washington DC Council 2025 budget paved the way for a competitive online sports betting market ending FanDuel’s position as the only platform available citywide. The Budget Support Act, which still needs mayor Muriel Bowser’s signature and a passive 30-day congressional review, will allow BetMGM (Nationals Park) and Caesars Sportsbook (Capital One Arena) to expand their current offerings beyond their brick-and-mortar sportsbooks and respective exclusion zones.

WTOP/Mike Murillo

WTOP/Mike Murillo

WTOP/Mike Murillo

WTOP/Mike Murillo

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D.C. police’s Harbor Patrol Unit calls July Fourth its Super Bowl on the water. The holiday comes during the specialized team’s busy season.

“Spring and summer is by far our busiest,” said Lt. Andrew Horos, with the harbor patrol.

Ahead of fireworks on Independence Day, Horos said the team patrols the waters and makes sure the many boaters who anchor near the monuments are safe.

“We’re constantly working with the community to ensure safe boating practices,” Horos said.

Sometimes, the patrol lets visiting boaters know about parts of the water which might be off limits during a special event, or for other reasons. Other times, a call may involve an officer getting into scuba gear and jumping in the water to save a life.

“All the all the members on the Harbor Patrol Unit are dive certified, so they always have it ready in case there’s an operation where they have to go underwater to for whatever reason,” he said.

For rescues, Horos said many take place farther north on the Potomac, past the Chain Bridge, an area where the department patrols.

“When you get up there where there’s a lot of undertow and a lot of dangerous currents,” he said. “We have a lot of issues up there and safety issues.”

He said they get calls for people who fall into the water from boats or, in some cases, people net fishing — which is illegal in the area — will fall in while trying to free nets that get caught on the rocks.

There are also the calls for people in mental crisis who might also end up in the water.

During the hot months, another problem is drinking and boating in the heat.

“We see a lot of medical emergencies out here,” he said. “You see a lot of people consuming a lot of alcohol, not enough water.”

His advice for boaters and those riding on boats: Drink plenty of water, and operate slowly and safely in the city. Boat operators should discourage passengers from jumping into the water, especially when the sun goes down.

Finally, he said to always wear a personal flotation device. Life jackets make it easier for rescuers to see you in the water.

That advice holds even if you’re a great swimmer, he said.

“If you fall and you hurt yourself, or you become unconscious and fall into the water, you’re not going to float,” Horos said.

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