CHICAGO—Several members of the left-wing "Squad," including Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.), joined uncommitted Democratic National Convention delegates who staged a sit-in outside the United Center over the party's denial of their request for a speaking slot.
Omar and Rep. Summer Lee (D., Pa.) sat with the delegates near the north entrance to the United Center, where vice presidential nominee Tim Walz spoke Wednesday evening. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) called in to endorse the demonstration, and Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D., Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) expressed solidarity.
Rep. Ilhan Ohmar just joined pic.twitter.com/0qrqUmlyU8
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) August 22, 2024
Squad member Summer Lee has joined pic.twitter.com/VeA9IUOBIv
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) August 22, 2024
Five delegates started the sit-in around 10:30 p.m. Eastern after announcing that the Harris campaign had officially rejected their request to put a Palestinian speaker on the United Center stage. Over the next few hours, it grew to a crowd of roughly 20 delegates and their supporters, though Omar and Lee both left.
All other convention attendees have left as the time nears midnight in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/i3Sma90rup
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) August 22, 2024
While the 'sit in" started with a group of 5 uncommitted Democratic delegates, many other supporters have joined since. pic.twitter.com/vT1pj8ZdTp
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) August 22, 2024
DNC attendees cleared out of the arena as they sat. Most passed by the sit-in participants. Before she left, Lee and several other activists tried using the restroom inside the United Center, but police refused.
Delegate activists, joined by Squad Member Summer Lee, argue with DNC security to allow them inside the convention center to use the restroom.
It doesn’t work, but they get him to call his supervisor. pic.twitter.com/a0jfvXise4
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) August 22, 2024
At one point, the Harris-Walz campaign reportedly offered a private meeting with the uncommitted delegates should they end the demonstration. They declined.
Update: Delegates have been offered a meeting with four Harris-Walz staffers, but not a speaking slot. So they have rejected the offer and will continue. pic.twitter.com/9TJOlphwg8
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) August 22, 2024
The stand-off emphasized the divide between the Democratic Party's establishment and progressive wings. Earlier in the week, anti-Israel activists at an official DNC panel called on delegates to join the "uncommitted" movement, which pulled hundreds of thousands of primary votes from President Joe Biden earlier this year.
"To those of you who are delegates: join us, the uncommitted movement, in growing our movement demanding that we have a policy change that saves Palestinian lives," said Layla Elabed, the co-chairwoman of the Uncommitted National Movement and sister of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.).
Elabed said Harris could unite the party if she endorsed an arms embargo on Israel.
"If we stand up and demand action—an arms embargo, a ceasefire, an end to war—we may have an opportunity to restore the soul of the Democratic Party and unite us under a big tent," Elabed said. "Listen to Michigan and the uncommitted movement."
Elabed pressed Harris to endorse an arms embargo during a recent rally in Detroit and said the vice president responded positively. Harris's national security adviser, Phil Gordon, issued a statement the following day saying Harris "does not support an arms embargo in Israel."