MANASSAS, Va. — Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted President Biden about a dozen times Tuesday as he delivered a speech on abortion rights.
Mr. Biden had barely begun his address when he was shouted down by a man carrying a Palestinian flag who yelled, “How many kids have you killed?” and calling him “Genocide Joe.”
The crowd of supporters drowned out the protester, and several subsequent ones, with chants of “Four More Years” and “Let’s Go Joe.”
But the demonstrators persisted, forcing the president to stop his speech five times in the first few minutes. Mr. Biden at first apologized to the crowd, saying of the protesters, “They feel deeply.”
The activist group CODEPINK took credit for the demonstrations and said its co-founder, Medea Benjamin, was one of the protesters.
“Biden could barely get out a sentence today without being interrupted by people protesting his support for genocide in Gaza,” said Ms. Benjamin in a statement.
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After the fifth interruption, Mr. Biden said to the crowd, “I’m sorry it’s taking so long.” At still another pause, the president said, “This is going to go on for awhile, They’ve got this planned.”
He finally talked over several more disruptions, as security escorted protesters out of the venue.
Mr. Biden has been subjected to such demonstrations on several other occasions, as some in the Democratic Party demand a ceasefire by Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
— Dave Boyer contributed to this report.