Pro-Palestinian protesters on Monday interrupted President Joe Biden as he gave a speech at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.
"If you really care about the lives lost here, then you should honor the lives lost and call for a ceasefire in Palestine," one protester shouted at Biden. Several attendees at the church then began chanting, "Ceasefire now!" Biden's supporters in the crowd countered by chanting, "Four more years," as security escorted the hecklers out.
The historic black church was the site of a mass shooting in 2015, when a white supremacist killed nine people.
"I understand their passion," Biden said following the disruption, "and I've been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza. I'm using all that I can to do that, but I understand the passion."
Biden is not the only Democrat to have a speech interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters. A man yelled at Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.) in November after the senator made strong comments in support of Israel's war against Hamas. Biden's speech came the same day that protesters, also demanding a ceasefire, blocked bridges in New York City.