A group of congressional staffers responded Tuesday to Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) call for federal workers walking out in protest of the war between Israel and terrorist group Hamas to be fired.

The congressional staffers’s protest coincided with a wider protest organized by the Feds United For Peace group that saw federal workers observe a day of mourning on Tuesday, of which Johnson criticized and called for the firing of the employees who participated.

“Speaker Johnson’s threats are intended to curtail free speech and enforce a culture of impunity across the legislative and executive branches of our government,” the group of congressional staffers said in a statement.

“Any attempt to stop federal workers from mourning the terrible loss of life resulting from this war is heartless,” they added.

The Congressional Staff for a Ceasefire Now took part in a “Day of Mourning” on Tuesday to mark “the 100th day since Israel laid siege to Gaza.” Israel has been at war with Hamas since the terrorist group’s attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7.

When news of the planned government worker walkout broke Sunday, Johnson wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, “They deserve to be fired.”