**DETROIT — A group of pro-Palestinian protesters briefly disrupted Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris during her rally at an airport hangar on Wednesday night. The interruption led Harris to repeat a line she had used before.
Around midway through her speech, approximately six protesters began chanting, “Kamala, Kamala you can’t hide! We won’t vote for genocide.”
Harris addressed the protesters by echoing a tactic used by President Joe Biden earlier in the campaign, acknowledging their right to protest while attempting to refocus attention on her speech. “I’m here because we believe in democracy. Everyone’s voice matters,” she stated. “But I am speaking now. I am speaking now.”
This line recalled Harris’s famous debate moment with then-Vice President Mike Pence during the 2020 election.
As the chanting continued, Harris’s response became more assertive. “You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking,” she declared, with the support of the crowd, which chanted “Kamala” to drown out the protesters. Campaign staff soon escorted the demonstrators from the venue.
The interruption marked the first such disruption Harris has faced since becoming the Democratic nominee and highlighted ongoing tensions over the Gaza conflict, particularly in Michigan, home to a significant Arab American population.
During the rally, leaders of the Uncommitted National Movement, who previously advocated for voting "uncommitted" rather than for Biden, spoke briefly with Harris. Layla Elabed, a co-founder of Uncommitted, urged Harris to support an arms embargo to address the situation in Gaza, citing daily reports of loss from the community.
The event also faced other challenges, including heat-related issues among some attendees, prompting both Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to call for medical assistance.
Despite these interruptions, Harris and Walz delivered their campaign messages. Harris emphasized her recent nomination and criticized Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, for policies she argues would undermine personal freedoms.
Walz presented his policy positions in a straightforward manner, discussing reproductive rights and gun violence, and continued to frame Republican ideas as out of touch. “These ideas that they’re putting out there, they are weird as hell,” he said. “We’re asking for health care and childcare. We’re asking for an education. We’re asking for safety in our streets. **
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