Susan Rice interrupted by protester during Israel speech

by Kristina Wong - 07/28/14 4:54 PM ET

National Security Adviser Susan Rice was interrupted by a protester on Monday as she gave a speech on the conflict in Israel at the National Press Club.

{mosads}As Rice began speaking, the protester — who had been sitting in a back row reserved for the press — left his chair and stepped into the aisle directly in front of Rice. “The truth is, Israel is killing innocent people in Gaza!” he yelled.

“Stop the violence, stop the killing!” he yelled to news cameras at the event, holding a sign that said “End the siege of Gaza.”

The man was forcibly removed from the room by staffers, who knocked over some chairs in a scuffle as they removed him from the auditorium.

“These are difficult days,” Rice continued calmly.

A reporter at the event captured a picture of the incident:

Protester interrupts Susan Rice at NPC speech, urges end to killing of innocent civilians in Gaza pic.twitter.com/UurVChhlHY

— MichaelMathes (@MichaelMathes) July 28, 2014

About a dozen lawmakers who had spoken earlier in the event, which was hosted by the National Leadership Assembly for Israel.

The event came in the third week of a military conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which U.S. and international officials have tried to end with a ceasefire.

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