EXCLUSIVE — One day before anti-Israel protesters caused mayhem in Washington, D.C., burning an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he spoke to Congress, scrawling graffiti across federal property, and burning American flags, the National Park Service granted the organizing group a public gathering permit. The Washington Examiner obtained a copy of that permit in full from a Biden administration source — providing a key window into the planning of the rally and the ways in which demonstrators skirted federal rules.

The permit, a redacted version of which can be read at this link, was given to the ANSWER Coalition, a group that coordinated with other pro-Palestinian activist hubs on the planning and execution of the protest. Dozens of protesters were arrested following clashes with police, though at least 11 of them had their misdemeanor charges dropped by Thursday evening, the Washington Examiner reported.