Israel war: Senate Republicans call on PayPal to remove Hamas-sympathizing Black Lives Matter group

EXCLUSIVE — A pair of Senate Republicans are demanding PayPal remove the account for a Black Lives Matter chapter that showed support for the terrorist group Hamas after its deadly attack against Israel.

BLM Chicago came under the spotlight last week upon sharing an “I stand with Palestine” graphic on social media that depicted a Hamas terrorist in a paraglider, although the group later deleted it and said it wasn’t “proud” of the post. But because the chapter is actively fundraising through PayPal, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) are calling on the payment processor to support Israel and cut ties with BLM Chicago.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR RISKS UPENDING TRADE AND COMMODITIES SHIPPING

“BLM is a Marxist group that has spent the last week endorsing genocidal terrorism,” Cruz told the Washington Examiner. “If PayPal’s policy against promoting violence means anything, they obviously and immediately should cut their ties. Big Tech companies are not exempt from the consequences that come from boosting terrorism.”

Since the Israel-Gaza conflict began more than a week ago due to Hamas launching an unprecedented attack toward the Jewish state, 1,400 Israelis have been killed, while 30 U.S. citizens are dead, according to the Israeli government and the U.S. State Department. The Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 2,800 have died in Gaza, while the terrorist group continues to release hostage videos of women and children.

BLM Chicago, which has continued to post pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel content on X (the social media platform once known as Twitter), seemingly justified its paraglider post by declaring, “Palestine & the people who will do what they must to live free.” The chapter manages a PayPal account called “blmchi,” the Washington Examiner found.

PayPal prohibits groups from using its services for “the promotion of hate, violence, racial or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory,” according to its acceptable use policy. The company notably teamed up in 2021 with the Anti-Defamation League, whose CEO Jonathan Greenblatt last week slammed BLM Chicago’s paraglider post as “antisemitic” and something that “could prompt violence,” for a “partnership initiative to fight extremism and hate through the financial industry and across at-risk communities,” a press release reads.

“Black Lives Matter groups disgraced themselves by cheering Hamas’s murderous rampage against Israel, and they should face the consequences of their actions,” Rubio told the Washington Examiner.

“Financial institutions like PayPal should vigorously enforce their Terms of Service and comply with anti-terror finance laws so that groups can’t profit from sickening celebrations of violence,” Rubio said.

Various other BLM chapters, including those in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Louisville, Kentucky, have also expressed anti-Israel sentiment following the Hamas attack and seemingly allied with terror. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the national BLM group that launched in 2013, refused last week to condemn any of the posts by BLM movement chapters.

“We don’t have any comments on your story,” the foundation told the Washington Free Beacon. “To clarify, we are not affiliated with BLM Grassroots or BLM Chicago. We are the global/main BLM.”

PayPal spokeswoman Caitlin Girouard declined to comment. BLM Chicago did not reply.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Chicago Republican Party Spokesman Jeff Fielder said it’s clear PayPal should remove the BLM chapter.

“They’re supporting Hamas,” Fielder told the Washington Examiner. “We can’t put up with that. PayPal should honor its policies.”