Former Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly faced repeated interruptions from pro-Palestine protesters during her book tour stop in Chicago on Saturday, as she promoted her new memoir, 107 Days, a reflection on her failed 2024 presidential campaign against Donald Trump.
Harris, seated onstage with journalist Michael Norris, was midway through a discussion when a woman stood and began shouting accusations that the former vice president had supported “genocide in Gaza.” According to video posted to social media, members of the audience called for security to intervene as the woman continued to yell, “Your legacy is genocide! This is what you did. You paved the way for everything that is currently going on.”
Security quickly removed the woman as Harris sought to defuse the moment. “You know what? I am not president of the United States,” Harris replied, drawing applause and laughter from the audience. “You wanna go to the White House and talk to him, then go on and do that.”
The exchange underscored Harris’s uneasy position in a political climate reshaped by President Trump’s foreign policy victories, particularly his success in brokering a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
Another protester at the event shouted that Harris was a “war criminal,” while a man echoed that her “legacy is genocide,” before both were escorted out.
The disruptions have become a recurring feature of Harris’s tour. Similar protests broke out earlier in New York City, where activists accused her of complicity in Israel’s military operations.
In both cases, Harris reminded the audience that she no longer holds office and has no role in shaping U.S. policy in the Middle East.
The backlash reflects growing divisions within the Democratic Party, where many progressives have accused establishment figures like Harris of failing to confront what they see as U.S. complicity in the Gaza conflict. Her memoir — intended as a personal account of her political rise and her campaign against Trump — has instead reignited internal criticism.
Several Democratic advisers reportedly called the book “divisive” and “an embarrassment” for the party, highlighting the lingering tensions from her 2024 defeat.
Meanwhile, events on the ground in the Middle East have shifted decisively in Trump’s favor. Israel and Hamas have formally agreed to the first phase of the president’s proposed peace deal, which calls for the release of all remaining hostages and a withdrawal of Israeli troops to designated positions within Gaza.
The agreement — reached after months of negotiations with the involvement of Qatar and Egypt — marks a turning point in the region and a political victory for Trump, who plans to travel to Israel on Sunday to commemorate the accord.
For Harris, the juxtaposition could hardly be starker. Once hailed as a historic figure within her party, she now finds herself on the defensive — confronted by protesters, criticized by her own allies, and overshadowed by Trump’s growing global influence.
At the Chicago event, as security restored order and Harris resumed speaking, the former vice president sought to pivot back to her message. But the moment lingered — a reminder that for many, the debate over accountability in the Middle East is far from over.
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