Pro-Palestinian protesters call Blinken 'war criminal' during 2 Senate committee hearings

May 21 (UPI) -- Pro-Palestinian protesters continually declared U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken a "war criminal" as he testified during separate Senate hearings Tuesday.

Blinken testified before the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs regarding the Department of State's $58.8 billion budget request for fiscal year 2025.

Blinken also testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations regarding threats posed by China and Russia and the State Department's fiscal year 2025 budget request.

When Blinken entered the Foreign Relations Committee hearing room, a group of protesters stood, showed their hands painted red and shouted: "The blood of 40,000 Palestinians is on his hands."

Blinken barely began to testify before the Foreign Relations Committee when a man stood and decried the alleged death of a 6-year-old named Hind Rajab.

"Blinken, you will be remembered as the butcher of Gaza," the man yelled. "You will be remembered for murdering innocent Palestinians."

Committee Chairman Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., ordered the man removed from the chamber and said all others who speak out of turn would be removed from the committee hearing, also.

The disruptions continued as protesters implored Blinken and lawmakers present to "stop the genocide" and repeatedly claimed 40,000 Palestinians have been killed with mass graves allegedly found near hospitals in Gaza.

Blinken managed to get through his committee testimony.

"The People's Republic of China is pursuing military, economic and geopolitical pre-eminence, challenging our vision for a free, open, secure and prosperous international order," Blinken said.

"Russia is committing aggression not only in Ukraine, but against he principles at the heart of the United Nations Charter -- sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence -- that are the building blocks for global peace and security," he said.

Blinken gave similar testimony regarding threats posed by China and Russia and efforts to help Israel before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee when protesters made more disruptive outbursts.

"This is homicide and genocide," one protester shouted. "This is a holocaust."

Committee Chairman Sen. Chris Coons, D-Conn., advised Blinken to continue commenting after the protester was removed from the hearing.

Blinken discussed Russia's aggression against Ukraine and said the United States is "standing with Israel and its efforts to ensure that what happened on October 7th never happens again."

The United States is doing all it can to "end the terrible human suffering in Gaza and prevent the conflict from spreading," Blinken said. "U.S. leadership is needed to address humanitarian crises elsewhere around the world."

Coons then allowed Blinken to suspend his testimony as he ordered the hearing room cleared.

As the room was cleared, another protester shouted: "You fill your conscience with mass graves. This is homicide."

Upon resuming his testimony, Blinken said there are humanitarian crises in Sudan, Haiti and elsewhere that require multinational solutions.

The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development are requesting a $58.8 billion budget for the next fiscal year.