The annual Netroots Nation conference of leftist
Democrats spiraled out of control on Saturday as a group of black activists stormed
the stage and took over the event while startled presidential candidates looked
on.
Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley and Vermont Sen.
Bernie Sanders, who are both courting the party’s left wing in their
presidential bids, were heckled by the protesters and shouted down when they
tried to respond.
stage at the Phoenix conference when dozens of “boisterous” conference
attendees flooded through a side door and disrupted the candidate’s remarks.
Tia Oso of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, who
represented the demonstrators, climbed onto the stage, secured a microphone,
and delivered a speech while O’Malley looked on.
Among the comments directed at O’Malley, former Baltimore
mayor, by the protesters who squeezed together in front of the stage was: “If
I die in police in custody, burn everything down! That’s the only way
mother******* like you listen!”
demonstrators continued with their “Black Lives Matter” chants. CNN reported that the candidate, a favorite of
Netroots Nation, threatened to leave if they continued to interrupt him.
“Black lives, of course, matter. I spent 50 years of
my life fighting for civil rights and for dignity,” the candidate said.
“But if you don’t want me to be here, that’s OK. I don’t want to out-scream
people.”
Sanders proceeded to deliver his usual presidential stump
speech over sporadic shouting from below. After talking over one another, according
to CNN, Sanders eventually ditched pre-planned remarks and tried to address
questions from demonstrators.
