Black Lives Matter protesters interrupt Hillary rally
Protesters with the Black Lives Matters movement interrupted a Hillary Clinton rally in Atlanta on Friday, where she planned to unveil her criminal justice reform plan.
Members of the civil rights group in the crowd chanted “Black Lives Matters” and sang hymns throughout her speech.
“Yes, yes they do,” Clinton said, trying to placate the group. “And I’m going to talk a lot about that in a minute.”
“Now my friends, I am going to get to some very important points that actually prove that black lives do matter and we have to take action together,” she added. “And I hope that we’ll have a chance to talk more as I have been meeting with activists from the Black Lives Matter movement.”
Clinton pleaded with the group to listen to her policy proposals.
“Now, ladies and gentlemen, I have some — I have some issues to discuss and some proposals to make,” she said. “If our friends will allow me to do it, they may actually find them to their liking.”
{mosads}Clinton supporters tried to drown out the protesters with chants of “Hillary!” and “Let her talk!”
The Democratic front-runner ignored the protests and tried to continue with her speech for several minutes.
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed went up on stage in a show of support to Clinton.
“Thank you all very much, I really appreciate it, and I appreciate the congressman and the mayor having my back,” Clinton said.
The protesters were eventually removed from the rally.
“So, I’m sorry, you know, I appreciate their passion, but I’m sorry they didn’t listen, because some of what they’ve been demanding, I am offering and intend to fight for as president,” she said.
Clinton was announcing her criminal justice reform plan, which includes a call to end racial profiling in law enforcement.
“Let’s remember that everyone in every community benefits when there is respect for the law, and when everyone in every community is respected by the law,” she said.
Her plan comes several weeks after she met with leaders from the Black Lives Matter movement.
The movement has interrupted political speeches from presidential candidates to draw attention to their cause.
This story was updated at 4:28 p.m.
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