A lavish Radio City Music Hall fundraiser for President Biden’s campaign that featured former Presidents Obama and Clinton was repeatedly interrupted Thursday night as multiple demonstrators shouted over the trio of presidents.
As the three Democratic presidents began their sit-down conversation with late-night host Stephen Colbert, a woman blew a whistle and held up a “War pig” sign that warned that “nuclear war with Russia” is near.
After she was escorted out, a second wave of protests began. Several attendees began booing, whistling and yelling in protest of Mr. Biden’s refusal to call for a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas.
“You’re out of your f—ing minds,” one demonstrator shouted.
“Shame on you, Joe Biden,” another anti-Israel protester shouted, according to a pool report.
Several others screamed, “Blood on your hands.”
At one point, Mr. Obama appeared to vent his frustration with the protesters’ repeated interruptions.
“No, listen. You can’t talk all the time. Sometimes you have to listen,” Mr. Obama told the demonstrators.
As for Mr. Biden, he said that the demonstrators being removed by security should be “let go.”
“There’s a lot of people who are very, very — there are too many innocent victims, Israeli and Palestinian,” Mr. Biden said. “We’ve got to get more food and medicine, supplies into the Palestinians.”
In total, there were six interruptions during the panel with the three presidents, according to a pool report.
Hours before the event, Abandon Biden, a coalition of Muslim and Arab Americans determined to defeat Mr. Biden in November because of his pro-Israel stance, had announced plans to disrupt the event.
They called it a “critical call to action.”
“Leaving the ballot blank is meant to protest Biden, auguring his defeat in the November 5th general presidential election,” the group said in a statement.
Photos and videos on social media showed dozens of demonstrators outside the storied venue holding Palestinian flags and protesters calling for the U.S. to stop sending aid to Israel, which claims is carrying out genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Despite the protests, the Biden campaign said the lavish fundraiser raised more than $26 million for his reelection effort and was attended by 5,000 people.
Musical guests Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele performed at the soiree.
Tickets started at $250, with high-level perks reserved for big donors. Attendees could pay $100,000 and more for a photo with all three presidents by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. Those who contributed at the $250,000 and $500,000 levels had access to two separate fundraisers with the presidents.