Former Vice President Kamala Harris was interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters during the first stop of her book tour in New York City.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday (September 24) while Harris was promoting her new memoir, “107 Days,” in front of 1,500 attendees at Town Hall in Midtown Manhattan. Protesters repeatedly disrupted the event, forcing Harris to pause multiple times as they shouted over her remarks.
According to The Washington Post, one protester yelled, “The blood of the Palestinians is on your hands,” prompting others in the crowd to shout back, “Talk to your president!” The audience applauded when Harris responded, “I’m not president right now, there’s nothing I can do.”
The exchange, captured in a video shared by Washington Post political reporter Sabrina Rodríguez, has since gone viral, garnering over 2 million views.
As demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and held signs reading, “Harris: Genocide is your legacy” and “717 Days of Genocide” outside of the venue, Harris defended her stance on Gaza, distancing herself from former President Joe Biden’s response to the conflict.
“People in our administration can tell you what my voice was in those rooms, in those closed rooms in the Oval Office,” she said. “I was not the president. I couldn’t make the decision. But I made my position clear.”
She also criticized President Donald Trump, saying, “Donald Trump has given [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu a blank check to do whatever he wants.”
Addressing the protesters directly, Harris said, “Let’s bring the temperature down. I understand what’s happening right now in Gaza, what is happening to the Palestinian people is outrageous and it breaks my heart. I get it.”
“There are a lot of people that did not like that I spoke out so forcefully and candidly about my concern about what was happening in Gaza,” she added.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.
