Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) was escorted off the stage briefly Wednesday after an event was interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters.
Hawley appeared at the Axios News Shapers forum and was being interviewed by reporter Stef Kight when a demonstrator began shouting toward the Missouri Republican.
“Josh Hawley cannot possibly care about people in this country,” the protester said, bringing the conference to a halt, “because he is supporting a war of starvation.”
“Your career is built on the suffering of children,” another protester interjected.
As more people began shouting, Kight told Hawley, “Let’s leave the stage.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, while still seated.
Kight also urged viewers to “please allow us to do our job,” later telling Hawley it was the first protest of the day.
As the demonstrator continued shouting, the Axios reporter stood up and escorted the senator off the stage.
The activists in the room held up signs reading “STOP STARVING GAZA” and “U.S. FUNDS GENOCIDE,” according to a statement from CODEPINK, a grassroots anti-war and social justice organization developed in response to the Iraq War.
“We appreciate and understand that people feel passionately about some of these issues,” Kight said after the two left the stage for a brief time. “We do ask that you be respectful and allow us to continue our conversation. Please welcome back to the stage Sen. Josh Hawley.”
Hawley returned to a round of applause, brushing off the protest as “just another day in the Senate.”
“Palestinians are starving for one reason: Israel’s siege, fully backed by the U.S. and its allies,” CODEPINK organizer Olivia DiNucci said in a statement. “We won’t let lawmakers ignore this genocide while pretending to care about American families.”
The disruption comes amid escalating tensions in Gaza and stalled ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas. The latest developments out of the Gaza Strip show Palestinians are being driven toward starvation, more than 100 charity and human rights organizations reported, according to The Associated Press.
