Occupy Wall Street protesters interrupt Bachmann foreign policy address

Protesters from the Occupy Wall Street movement interrupted Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-Minn.) foreign policy speech aboard a retired aircraft carrier on Thursday, causing her to briefly leave the stage.

As Bachmann was speaking on the USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant, S.C., a group of protesters starting chanting in call-and-response.

“Mike check. This will only take a minute. We have a message for Ms. Bachmann,” they chanted.

{mosads}Other audience members appealed unsuccessfully to the protesters to sit down and allow Bachmann to proceed.

“Blaming people that disagree with you. Unpatriotic,” the protesters said in unison.

Bachmann, while remaining calm, appeared dazed and unsure of how to respond. A police officer approached her and spoke in her ear before escorting Bachmann off the podium.

“We certainly respect their right to free speech,” said Bachmann spokeswoman Alice Stewart, calling it unfortunate that the protesters chose to do it aboard a former military vessel on a day intended to honor the service members who fight to protect free speech. 

Thursday is the 236th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Americans will observe Veterans Day on Friday. 

“It’s insulting,” Stewart said.

Bachmann later returned to the stage and completed her speech, in which she vowed to protect the nation but also expressed a willingness to cut the defense budget, the Post and Courier reported. The protesters were not arrested.

Bachmann has been critical of the Occupy Wall Street movement, admonishing them for not cleaning up after their protests and faulting them for promoting increased government spending.

This story was updated at 4:23 p.m.

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