In the past several weeks, President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign events have been met with relentless pro-Palestine protesters, reported Politico on Monday.
At a United Auto Workers event, demonstrators interrupted the President’s speech to call for a ceasefire. The day earlier, while at an event in Virginia to campaign for abortion rights and to mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, protesters interrupted Biden’s speech, chanting “Genocide Joe” and “ceasefire now or no vote.” In defense of the president, Biden supporters chanted, “Four more years.”
According to the report by Politico, pro-Palestine protesters show up at every single campaign event, regardless of the topic. Event organizers have attempted to increase the selectivity of event attendees.
Vice President Kamala Harris was also interrupted by these same protesters during a discussion on abortion access, to which she responded, “We all want this conflict to end as soon as possible.”
Divide within the Democratic Party
In a press conference, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that “The president respects people’s right to speak out peacefully.”
In New Hampshire’s primary, 1,497 voters wrote in “ceasefire,” in a symbolic gesture to send a message to Biden over his policy on Israel.
These events highlight the stark divide within the Democratic Party on the issue of the Israel-Hamas War, the mounting pressure the president is facing from his own base on this issue, and that it is of significant importance to many voters in the election in November.