Pro-Palestine supporters interrupt Jill Biden's 'Women for Biden-Harris' tour in Tuscon

First lady was interrupted four times during her speech in Arizona despite her brief 14-minute appearance

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Jill Biden on March 1, 2024, at Studio House Atlanta. — Reuters
Jill Biden on March 1, 2024, at Studio House Atlanta. — Reuters

The United States' first lady Jill Biden on Saturday spoke for only 14 minutes on the second leg of her "Women for Biden-Harris" tour in Tuscon, Arizona but it was long enough for pro-Palestinian supporters to interrupt her remarks four separate times.

"It's a genocide, Jill!" yelled one of the four demonstrators as he was being forcibly escorted out of the venue by security, NBC News reported.

The first lady discussed women’s issues, including abortion rights which could be on the ballot in Arizona come November.

"Extremist Republicans led by Donald Trump are passing laws that prevent women from getting the health care they need, including IVF," said Jill.

Pro-Palestine supporters outside of the Fox Theater, moments after first lady Jill Biden delivered remarks in Tucson, Arizona, on March 3, 2024. — NBC News via Alex Tabet
Pro-Palestine supporters outside of the Fox Theater, moments after first lady Jill Biden delivered remarks in Tucson, Arizona, on March 3, 2024. — NBC News via Alex Tabet

However, the first protester interrupted her 13 seconds into her speech, followed by the second less than two minutes later.

As she gathered steam in her speech, the third protester, Kaliana Venet, an activist with the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance, shouted out.

The 34-year-old activist wasn't impressed by the first lady’s remarks concerning women.

"When you’re talking about women's issues, when you’re talking about women in office, and women in Gaza are having C-sections without anaesthesia, watching their children pulled out of the rubble, starving to death … it's absolutely shameful," said Venet.

The first lady's second tour in Tucson, home to the University of Arizona, may have been bold, as young voters, like Venet, are particularly discontented with her husband, President Joe Biden's handling of the war, according to polling.

"She should have seen it coming," said Venet.

The activist voted for Biden in 2020, a decision she now says she’s "very ashamed of."

President Biden's team has switched to smaller events and kept locations hushed to avoid public shaming.

The White House has announced the upcoming states for Biden's Women for Biden-Harris tour but has not disclosed specific locations.