Video shows mealworms and crickets dumped at Netanyahu’s hotel during Netanyahu stay

The Watergate Hotel in Washington said it has been fumigated after someone dumped bugs and worms on a dining table and floor on Tuesday during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s overnight stay there.

A viral video Filmed at the hotel, mealworms can be seen covering a white-clothed dining table in what appears to be a conference room with an Israeli flag prominently displayed. Another scene shows crickets on the floor of a hallway and a fire alarm going off.

The mealworm video was shared online by the Palestinian Youth Movement and its DC, Maryland and Virginia chapters, which have protested Netanyahu’s visit over Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

The unrest at the five-star hotel took place ahead of Netanyahu’s controversial speech to Congress on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the hotel told JS it was aware of the video circulating online and said authorities were handling the “unfortunate incident.”

“We have taken the necessary steps to ensure the property has been cleaned and is now functioning normally,” they said.

DC’s Metropolitan Police Department referred questions to the U.S. Secret Service, which told JS there was never any danger to anyone the agency is assigned to protect, such as foreign heads of state.

A Secret Service spokesman added that the meeting room where the insects were dumped was not part of the security plan the agency had agreed with the Israeli security services and its local partners.