Kamala Harris' appearance on Jimmy Kimmel disrupted by activists protesting for Gaza
Los Angeles, California - Peace protesters, acting in solidarity with the besieged people of Gaza, were forcibly removed after disrupting the taping of Vice President Kamala Harris' appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
A coalition of activists from CODEPINK, Chino Valley for Palestinian Liberation, Palestinian Christians for Justice, Pasadena for Palestine, and Claremont Graduate Students for a Free Palestine, along with individual residents, took over Harris' Tuesday interview with Kimmel to demand the White House change its tune toward Israel and Palestine.
Security forced several of the protesters to leave before Harris took the stage, CODEPINK said in a press release.
Others who remained in the audience waited until Harris had entered and been introduced by the comedian before launching a series of disruptions.
"Stop the genocide! 15,000 children dead because of you!" one protester yells in a video shared by CODEPINK, referring to the alarming number of Palestinian children killed by Israel in the last eight months.
"You're a murderer!" another activist chimes in.
During the chants, Kimmel can be heard saying in the background: "You're interrupting my flow."
The action was the latest sign of growing public outrage over the Biden-Harris administration's military and diplomatic support for Israel's assault on Gaza, including the continued supply of American weapons to the occupying forces.
Security responds to Kamala Harris disruptions with violence
The protesters were removed from the taping area by security, who in the video demand to see the activists' IDs and tell them they are under arrest.
When asked about the reason for their arrest, a man in a suit who says he is working with security replies, "For interfering with a live television broadcast."
"You don't need to see the law, you need to show me the ID," he adds. "You're under arrest, that's all you need to know."
At one point, a security officer can be seen putting one of the protesters in a chokehold and dragging him backwards.
"We reject business as usual as the Israeli government carries out a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, all with the unconditional support of the Biden/Harris administration," CODEPINK Inland Empire member Rachael O'Neill said in a statement.
"We took this action today to put pressure on the administration to back up their words with actions: stop arming Israel and support a permanent ceasefire resolution at the UN."
The action forced Kimmel to re-film part of his show, just days before demonstrators prepare to converge on the White House on June 8 for a massive rally in support of Palestinian liberation.
Cover photo: Collage: JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP & CODEPINK