Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) has repeatedly suggested that a prominent Arab-American activist is a Hamas supporter. She did so Tuesday while testifying at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on hate crimes. Kennedy told her to put her “head in a bag.”

Activist Maya Berry repeatedly said she did not support Hamas and was “disappointed” by the minutes-long exchange at the end of a hearing titled “A Threat to Justice Everywhere: Turning the Tide of Hate Crimes in America.”

“You are the executive director of the Arab American Institute, aren’t you?” Kennedy said at the beginning of the exchange. She said she was, agreeing with Kennedy that she is a Democratic activist.

“You support Hamas, don’t you?” Kennedy asked, referring to the militant group behind the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel. The question prompted gasps and surprised laughter from the audience.

“Senator, oddly enough, I’m going to thank you for that question, because it demonstrates the purpose of our hearing today in a very effective way,” Berry replied. Kennedy interrupted her, insisting that he needed a yes-or-no answer.

“Hamas is a foreign terrorist organization that I do not support, but by asking that question of the director of the Arab American Institute, you are really highlighting the problem of hate in our country,” Berry responded.

“I got your answer and I appreciate it. You support Hezbollah, don’t you?” Kennedy continued, referring to the Iranian-backed militant group.

“I find this series of questions extremely disappointing,” she replied, before Kennedy said: “Is that a no?”

“I do not support violence, whether it is Hezbollah, Hamas or any other organization that advocates violence, so no, sir,” she said.

“You just can’t bring yourself to say no, can you?” Kennedy said. “You just can’t.”

He then asked her if she supported Iran and “their Jew-hatred,” and again she said no.

He then noted her previous criticism of Congress for cutting off funding to a UN agency called UNRWA, which provides emergency aid to Palestinian refugees, amid allegations that a dozen of its 30,000 employees were involved in the October 7 attack. The employees were fired.

Berry said she stands by her comments and supports UNRWA’s relief efforts.

“Let me ask you again: You support Hamas, don’t you?” Kennedy pressed.

“I find it extremely disappointing that you look at an Arab-American witness in front of you and say you support Hamas. I do not support Hamas,” she said.

“You know what I find disappointing? You can’t bring yourself to say don’t support UNRWA, don’t support Hamas, don’t support Hezbollah, don’t support Iran. You have to put your head in a bag,” he concluded, to the hoots and hollers of the audience.

In her opening statement, Berry said hate crimes in the country typically stem from anti-immigrant rhetoric, noting that there has been an increase in hate crimes against Arab, Muslim and Jewish Americans since the Oct. 7 attack.

Asked by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) if she had anything to say after the exchange with Kennedy, Berry said, “It’s unfortunate that I have to sit here and deal with the very problem that we’re trying to solve today.

“The introduction of foreign policy is not how we keep Arab Americans safe or Jewish Americans safe or Muslim Americans safe or Black Americans safe or Asian Americans safe or anybody else safe. This is a real disappointment, unfortunately, but it is an indication of the danger to our democratic institutions that we are in right now,” Berry said.

Democrats in the judiciary criticized Kennedy for his comments later on Tuesday on social media.

“Political leaders must not fan the flames of hatred and division,” Durbin said on X“Jewish, Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian Americans *all* deserve safety.”

Kennedy’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.