Pro-Palestine protesters interrupt Biden over a dozen times at campaign rally

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden was interrupted over a dozen times by pro-Palestinian protesters Tuesday as he sought to address supporters at a campaign rally in Virginia.

The protesters, who shouted various phrases, including calling Biden "genocide Joe" for his unwavering support of Israel amid its war in Gaza, were repeatedly met with raucous chants of "four more years" and "let's go Joe" from the president's supporters.

Other demonstrators said "Israel kills two mothers every hour" and asked Biden, "How many kids have you killed?"

Biden initially sought to address the protesters, saying they "feel deeply." But around the fifth time he was interrupted, the president instead spoke louder in an apparent attempt to drown out the interruptions. Many of the phrases that were being shouted by protesters could not be discerned.

"This is going to go on for a while. They’ve got this planned," Biden told his supporters. “I’m sorry it is taking so long.”

Outside of the venue, demonstrators chanted "shame on you" and called for an end to all US aid to Israel.

"We charge you with genocide," they said. "Biden, Harris, what do you say? We won't vote on Election Day. Biden, Harris, you will learn."

Biden is in a tight race against likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, with most polls putting the incumbent president behind his predecessor by a narrow margin.

Wide segments of Biden's Democratic base have voiced strong disapproval of his handling of the war in Gaza, which has been ongoing for over 100 days with no end in sight.

Nearly 25,500 Palestinians have been confirmed killed in Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip since October. Thousands more are feared dead under the rubble.

Israel began its war in retaliation for the Palestinian group Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel in which an estimated 1,200 people are believed to have been killed. Roughly 250 others were taken back to Gaza as hostages.

More than 100 remain detained in the coastal enclave.

The vast majority of Palestinians who have been killed, an estimated two-thirds, are women and children.