A disturbing incident unfolded in Rocky River, Ohio, where US Congressman Max Miller, a Republican representative from Ohio’s 7th congressional district, claimed a driver forced him off the road while brandishing a Palestinian flag and issuing threats against him and his family. The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Feras Hamdan, turned himself in to authorities and has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated menacing and ethnic intimidation.
According to Miller, the incident occurred when Hamdan allegedly honked his horn and forced Miller’s vehicle off the road. Miller claimed Hamdan tried to show him a Palestinian flag, said “death to Israel,” and threatened to kill him and his family. Miller described the incident as “blatant antisemitic violence” in a video posted on social media.
The Rocky River Police Department launched an investigation, and a warrant was issued for Hamdan’s arrest. After turning himself in, Hamdan’s bond was set at $500,000, and he was ordered to surrender his passport. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 8.
Miller, who is Jewish, stated that he would not be intimidated by the incident. “As a Marine, a proud Jewish American, and a staunch defender of Israel, I will not hide in the face of this blatant antisemitic violence,” he wrote in a social media post. Miller has been a vocal supporter of Israel and has taken a strong stance against antisemitism.
The incident comes amid a concerning trend of rising political violence in the US. Recently, two Democratic state politicians in Minnesota and their spouses were attacked, with one lawmaker and her husband fatally shot. The suspect in the Minnesota attacks allegedly had a list of 70 targets, including other Democratic politicians. This incident, combined with recent assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump, has raised concerns about the escalating tensions in US politics.