Kamala Harris says she’s open to hearing opinions that differ from her own — just not in the middle of her own speech. On Wednesday, while speaking to a crowd of 15,000 in Detroit, Michigan, Harris was interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters accusing her of supporting Israel and genocide in the ongoing war in Gaza.
“Kamala, Kamala, you can’t hide! We won’t vote for genocide,” they chanted during her speech. While Harris initially brushed off the comments, saying, “We believe in democracy. Everyone’s voice matters, but I am speaking now,” she later became more stern, adding: “You know what, if you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking.”
Her response was met with cheers from the crowd. Online, people recalled the viral moment in the 2020 vice-presidential debate when Harris told Mike Pence, “Mr. Vice-President, I’m speaking,” after he interrupted her. While some praised her directness, others found it dismissive of her own base.
Earlier in the day, Harris was welcomed to Michigan by several community organizers and leaders, including members of the Uncommitted National Movement, the group that led the effort to have 100,000 people in the critical battleground state vote “uncommitted” during Joe Biden’s primary this year because they disapproved of his Israel policy. The founders of Uncommitted told the New York Times that they asked Harris to meet with them to talk about an arms embargo on Israel. Afterward, Abbas Alawieh, one of the founders, said he “felt an openness” from Harris. Meanwhile, the Harris campaign gave a much more vague, noncommittal statement, saying, Harris “reaffirmed that her campaign will continue to engage with those communities.”
So far, Harris’s stance on Israel has been consistent with Biden’s. Earlier this year, she said Israel “has a right to defend itself,” and that Hamas must be “eliminated,” but she has had a more critical tone about Israel’s treatment of Gazans. In December, she said: “Too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. Frankly, the scale of civilian suffering and the images and videos coming from Gaza are devastating.” Still, if she wins, she’s expected to continue with the Biden administration’s approach.
