Once again, former Vice President Kamala Harris was interrupted at a rally by anti-Israel protesters.
While the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee was attempting to talk about her newly chosen running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Friday evening, chants from protesters somewhere in the crowd broke out.
They were at first drowned out by the approximately 15,000-person crowd’s chants of “USA! USA!” but as they continued to protest, Harris chose to address them.
“Here’s the thing. We are all in here together,” she said at Glendale’s Desert Diamond Arena, “because we love our country. We’re here to fight for our democracy, which includes respecting the voices that I think that we are hearing from.”
KAMALA HARRIS SHUTS DOWN ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS DURING CAMPAIGN SPEECH IN MICHIGAN: ‘I’M SPEAKING’
She added, “And let me just say this on the topic of what I think I’m hearing over there. Let me just speak to that for a moment, and then I’m going to get back to the business at hand. So, let me say, I have been clear. Now is the time to get a cease-fire deal and get the hostage deal done. Now is the time. And the president and I are working around the clock every day to get that ceasefire deal done and bring the hostages home. So, I respect your voices, but we are here to now talk about this race in 2024.”
Around four or five protesters were removed from the rally.
Her address to the protesters comes two days after she received praise and criticism when she told protesters: “You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking.”
While some criticized her clapback shown in a clip that circulated on social media, the 59-year-old had actually affirmed their right to protest at first.
ANTI-ISRAEL VOTERS WARN HARRIS WON’T GET THEIR VOTE WITHOUT A CEASE-FIRE: ‘THIS IS OUR LEVERAGE’
“I’m here because we believe in democracy. Everyone’s voice matters, but I am speaking now. I am speaking now,” she first told the demonstrators who chanted: “Kamala, Kamala you can’t hide! We won’t vote for genocide.”
But when they refused to stop, she became less patient.
She also briefly met with supporters from the Uncommitted National Movement, which has been urging President Biden to support a cease-fire by voting uncommitted in the primaries, before her rally in Detroit.
“Michigan voters want to support you, but we need a policy that will save lives in Gaza right now,” the co-founder of the group told Harris during the meeting, according to NBC News. “I meet with community members every day in Michigan who are losing tens and hundreds of family members in Gaza. Right now, we need an arms embargo.”
Biden was also frequently interrupted by anti-Israel protesters while he was still running for president.
Read the full article here
