Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders attend Netroots Nation. Hillary Clinton skipped the gathering.
Phoenix, AZ – “Black Lives Matter” protesters interrupted Democratic presidential candidates Martin O’Malley, former governor of Maryland, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) during their appearances Saturday at Netroots Nation, a progressive conference being held in Phoenix this year.
O’Malley was interrupted after just one question during a panel discussion with Jose Antonio Vargas, and Sanders had barely begun speaking before he was cut off.
O’Malley only took about 1 q before #BlackLivesMatter action started. @joseiswriting ends panel: “Unfortunately, Sen Sanders is waiting…”
— Ruby Cramer (@rubycramer) July 18, 2015
.@BernieSanders now on stage. He is first greeted w/ “We love you Bernie!” chants, then #BlackLivesMatter protesters interrupt his intro. — Ruby Cramer (@rubycramer) July 18, 2015
Demonstrators began chanting, “What side are you on?” during a Q&A session with O’Malley. O’Malley allowed the protesters to finish, but drew boos when he said that “black lives matter, all lives matter, white lives matter,” according to Washington Post reporter Dave Weigel. O’Malley later admitted that he made a mistake in his choice of words and said he did not mean any disrespect
O’Malley answers protesters by saying all police departments should publish records on shootings, have civilian review boards. #NN15
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) July 18, 2015
O’Malley gaffes with this crowd: “Black lives matter, white lives matter, all lives matter.” Huge groans and boos. #NN15 — daveweigel (@daveweigel) July 18, 2015
Sanders was quickly interrupted when he spoke and told protesters that he agreed with them.
“Black lives of course matter,” @BernieSanders says, over chants at #NN15.
— Ruby Cramer (@rubycramer) July 18, 2015
Sanders tried to continue speaking, but Vargas eventually ended the panel early.
I wish we would have kept going https://t.co/1fLOtnnQip — Jose Antonio Vargas (@joseiswriting) July 18, 2015
To folks who ask me why I didn’t stop protestors: We cannot silence people of color and women of color #BlackLivesMatter. #nn15
— Jose Antonio Vargas (@joseiswriting) July 18, 2015
While O’Malley and Sanders had a difficult time speaking on Saturday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, chose not to attend the conference and was campaigning in Arkansas instead.