Several climate change protests erupted Thursday during the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) final chair candidate forum before the party selects a new leader, prompting the MSNBC moderators to plead with the activists in the crowd to stop the disruptions.
Multiple protesters had to be physically dragged out of the forum, hosted at Washington, DC’s, Georgetown University by MSNBC personalities Jen Psaki, Jonathan Capehart, and Symone Sanders-Townsend:
There have now been so many protests that officials & moderators are discussing ways to try to keep the forum going - with DNC officials possibly leaving - or halt it altogether.
— Meg Kinnard (@MegKinnardAP) January 31, 2025
At least a dozen students have been removed so far. pic.twitter.com/lZKgcdzveE
“There have now been so many protests that officials & moderators are discussing ways to try to keep the forum going – with DNC officials possibly leaving – or halt it altogether,” Associated Press correspondent Meg Kinnard reported live from the forum. “At least a dozen students have been removed so far.”
The forum — featuring former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, DNC vice chair Ken Martin, Wisconsin Democrat party chair Ben Wikler, former Bernie Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir, former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official Nate Snyder, and Newton, Massachusetts, Democrat city committee executive member Jason Paul — was the last meeting of DNC chair candidates before the party chooses one on Saturday.
Before the moderators could even ask the candidates their first question, a woman with the radical left-wing group Sunrise Movement stood up and began shouting about “billionaires” buying elections:
Before the 1st question was asked of the panel, a protester wearing a Sunrise Movement T-shirt began shouting & was escorted out by officers. pic.twitter.com/QmXsCppKRk
— Meg Kinnard (@MegKinnardAP) January 31, 2025
Sanders-Townsend showed her frustration during the third protest interruption, announcing on stage, “If you are not going to give us an opportunity to ask the questions, we are going to simply ask you to leave. We will not be able to get through this evening”:
Third interruption! These are getting more laughs than anything from crowd. Symone Sanders says, if anyone else wants to interrupt, just stand up now. pic.twitter.com/leOBDX6ilC
— David Weigel (@daveweigel) January 31, 2025
“If anyone else feels the need to disrupt, please stand up and do it right now,” the MSNBC moderator added, according to Politico.
Jason Paul, described by the outlet as a “long shot” contender amongst the other candidates, said the protesters “hijacked the whole evening” and turned it into “scream night at the DNC.”
Paul also noted that he had already taken action to meet the protesters’ demands by signing the Sunrise Movement pledge to ban corporate donations to the DNC and ban super PAC spending in the party’s primary elections.
The vote for DNC chair will take place at the party’s winter meeting on February 1 in National Harbor, Maryland.
