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Protester Interrupts Kamala Harris At MoveOn’s Big Ideas Forum
Presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris barely got a chance to answer a question this weekend before she was interrupted by a protestor.
According to CBS News, the whole incident went down on Saturday at MoveOn’s Big Ideas Forum in San Francisco. Harris was onstage discussing one of her “big ideas,” which involves ending the gender pay gap. The moderator was just about to ask her a question when a man rushed the stage and took Harris’ mic from her hand. He said he wanted to bring “attention for a much bigger idea” before he was taken offstage. Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, even intervened with the protester to send him on his way.
Kamala eventually returned to the stage after chants of “Kamala back!” and she resumed answering questions.
Peep the clip for yourself below.
The protestor was identified as Aidan Cook by the animal rights organization Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), who released a press statement shortly after the chaos.
Many people were outraged by the incident, especially since the man took up time from a Black woman candidate in the middle of an equal pay discussion.
“A white dude rushing the stage and grabbing the mic from a WOC, while she’s speaking about the gender pay gap, and then being escorted away without being charged with anything feels like a short play written to raise awareness about mansplaining and white male privilege,” wrote one @OhNoSheTwitnt.
MoveOn commented on the incident, tweeting, “We sincerely regret that a protestor was able to gain access to the stage at our forum today & we apologize to Sen. @KamalaHarris.”
Kamala’s husband, Emhoff, also responded to the altercation, tweeting, “Thx for all the kind notes. We are good. I love @KamalaHarris and would do anything for her.”
Surely, this won’t be the last controversial protest as the 2020 presidential election continues to get more and more heated.