AMP Director Caught on Video in Physical Altercation with Reporter on Capitol Hill
Osama Abuirshaid confronted journalist after questions about alleged Hamas ties, as his organization faces mounting legal troubles, congressional investigations, and calls to revoke tax-exempt status
Osama Abuirshaid, the Executive Director of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) — an organization that multiple terror watchdog groups have linked to Hamas — was captured on video in an apparent physical altercation with a reporter on Capitol Hill Monday. The incident occurred after the journalist questioned him about alleged support for Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Incident
The confrontation took place during the government shutdown, while Abuirshaid and other representatives from pro-Palestinian organizations were meeting with Democratic members of Congress. Video footage uploaded by local journalist Charles Downs shows two apparent physical altercations between Abuirshaid and the reporter.
In the footage, Downs can be seen questioning Abuirshaid about the organization’s alleged ties to Hamas when the first altercation occurred. According to accounts posted on social media, a second altercation followed after Abuirshaid was told, “you can’t just hit people. This isn’t the Middle East.”
AMP Under Scrutiny
AMP is described by multiple organizations as a pro-Hamas lobbying group focused on Palestinian advancement in U.S. politics. Critics allege the group maintains open support for Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Abuirshaid’s background has been the subject of ongoing controversy. He has been photographed attending events alongside alleged Hamas-linked operatives in Europe, such as Zaher Birawi. In 2020, he appeared on a webinar with senior Hamas official Basem Naim, who was designated by the U.S. Department of Treasury in November 2024 and added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.
The organization Abuirshaid leads, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), operates through its fiscal sponsor, AJP Educational Foundation, and has been accused by critics of serving as a continuation of organizations previously shut down for alleged terrorism financing.
A 2017 lawsuit by victims of a 1996 Hamas attack alleges that AMP operates as an offshoot of the Islamic Association for Palestine and the Holy Land Foundation, both convicted of funneling millions to Hamas. Research by George Washington University’s Program on Extremism supports this claim, showing that AMP was created as a successor organization to the IAP, which was founded with startup money from Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook.
Mounting Legal Troubles
AMP’s legal troubles have intensified in recent months. The Richmond City Circuit Court held the organization in civil contempt on September 29, 2025, after it defied a court order to cooperate with a Virginia Attorney General investigation into whether the Falls Church-based nonprofit improperly used donated funds. The court ordered AMP to face sanctions of $1,000 per day if it failed to comply by October 3, 2025, and to pay $8,000 in legal fees to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The organization has also been named in a landmark federal lawsuit. In September 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act against AMP’s New Jersey chapter, along with the Party for Socialism and Liberation and several individuals.
This marked the first time the FACE Act has been used to protect religious worship at a synagogue, following a November 2024 incident where protesters allegedly intimidated and assaulted Jewish worshipers at Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, New Jersey.
Congressional Investigation and Financial Questions
Congressional investigations have further complicated AMP’s standing. Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy launched a formal investigation in March 2025, citing the organization’s alleged connections to at least nine individuals with ties to Hamas-associated organizations.
Under IRS regulations, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status requires organizations to operate exclusively for exempt purposes without engaging in illegal activities, including material support for terrorism. Critics, including members of the House Ways and Means Committee, have called for AMP’s tax-exempt status to be revoked, arguing that tax-deductible donations should not support what they characterize as antisemitic and pro-terrorism activities