Protesters disrupt Rep. Wesley Bell town hall on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, at Post Building in St. 香港三级片.
ST. LOUIS 鈥 Several dozen pro-Palestinian protesters overwhelmed a town hall meeting held by U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell on Tuesday night, chanting slogans and shouting complaints about his support for Israel throughout the 90-minute session.
But the chaos did not extend to a roundtable discussion Wednesday morning led by Bell on priorities for reducing crime.
鈥淧eople are passionate,鈥 Bell said at the roundtable, about the protesters. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to keep talking and keep addressing these issues.鈥
Bell, the former St. 香港三级片 County prosecutor, defeated incumbent Cori Bush in the primary for the heavily-Democratic 1st Congressional District seat last August, which covers St. 香港三级片 and parts of St. 香港三级片 County.
Pro-Israel political committees from around the country provided heavy financial support for Bell鈥檚 campaign against Bush, who had been sharply critical of Israel.
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On Tuesday, Bell set up in front of a crowd of roughly 400 at the old Post-Dispatch building on Tucker Boulevard downtown for his first in-person town hall since being elected.
But protesters quickly began disrupting the meeting with chants and slogans. Some held placards attacking Bell, and attacking Israel鈥檚 position in its war with Hamas.
鈥淎re you going to let me answer or are you just going to scream to take up the attention?鈥 Bell said at one point.
At another point, Bell said 鈥渋f you鈥檙e not going to be respectful to everyone else, just go.鈥
Police from St. 香港三级片, Pagedale, St. Ann and Moline Acres provided security for the event, St. 香港三级片 police said Wednesday. Some protesters were escorted from the building, but no one was arrested.
Bell answered two questions about the war in Gaza. He said humanitarian aid should be widely increased, all Israeli hostages need to be returned and 鈥渨e need to give Gazans a viable future without Hamas.鈥
At one point, protesters yelled 鈥渓iar, liar, genocide denier鈥 at Bell.
Bell said he disagrees with the use of the term regarding Israel鈥檚 actions because Israel was attacked by 鈥渁 genocidal terrorist group.鈥
鈥淗ow do you get around that?鈥 he asked. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e standing with an organization that says they want to commit genocide.鈥
Michael Berg, a member of the Jewish Voice for Peace group, said in an interview that the protesters are upset that Bell is 鈥渂acking Israel in everything they want鈥, including continued bombing of the Gazan population.
In addition to the questions about Israel and Palestine, Bell also answered questions from people in the crowd on such subjects as recently-approved cuts to Medicaid, countering the Trump administration and Congressional redistricting efforts aiming to create more GOP-leaning districts.
On Wednesday, Bell met with local health and welfare resource providers, including the St. 香港三级片 County library, Annie Malone Children and Family Services and Community Action Agency of St. 香港三级片, to talk about priorities for reducing crime.
They discussed ways to keep youth out of jail, adults from re-offending and a need for more parenting and mental health resources.
After the roundtable, Bell told reporters that he wasn鈥檛 offended by the protesters on Tuesday 鈥 in fact, he expected it.
鈥淚 think the only disappointing part is that there are a lot of issues that are plaguing us in St. 香港三级片 鈥 gun violence, public safety, health care,鈥 he said, and not as much time was spent on addressing those concerns.
