Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) was interrupted by a man described as an animal rights activist at a political event on Saturday. During her remarks at a MoveOn forum, the man jumped on stage and snatched a microphone out of the presidential candidate’s hand. The protester is identified as Aidan Cook and is a well-known member of Direct Action Everywhere animal welfare advocacy group.
Harris stepped aside as the man tried to speak and organizers tried to stop him. He was quickly confronted by Karine Jean-Pierre, the co-moderator of the MoveOn forum, stepped in between the protester and Harris.
It is rare for protesters to come into such close proximity to a candidates at presidential campaign events to promote their causes.
MoveOn representatives stated the man was removed from the stage and the program resumed. He was not arrested nor detained.
Watch: Protester rushes stage, grabs mic from Sen. Kamala Harris https://t.co/4PD2Yx3zXl via @amjoyshow
— AM Joy w/Joy Reid (@amjoyshow) June 3, 2019
A Harris campaign spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the incident. But a prominent Harris supporter, South Carolina Democrat Bakari Sellers, tweeted: “You notice @KamalaHarris wasn’t afraid.”
Harris is one of 14 presidential candidates in San Francisco this weekend for the California Democratic Convention and other campaign stops.
