Columbia, South Carolina — A small group of protesters interrupted former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley‘s campaign event Thursday and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The South Carolina Republican primary won’t take place until Feb. 24, but Haley has campaigned in her home state over the past week in her comeback bid over former President Donald Trump, who has dominated the first two early contests.
Haley has encountered pro-Palestinian protesters in the past, specifically during her tenure as Trump‘s U.N. ambassador, but Thursday’s interruption at a GOP event was notable as it is President Joe Biden who is routinely heckled on the 2024 presidential campaign trail.
Shortly into Haley’s remarks, at least three protesters stood up inside Doc’s Barbeque in Columbia and began chanting, “Free, free Palestine!”
One of the female protesters accused Haley of being disqualified from being president for being beholden to Israeli interest groups.
“Netanyahu is your puppet master!” the woman shouted while being escorted from the building.
BREAKING: “Free Palestine” protesters just interrupted @NikkiHaley event in Columbia, SC — first time I’ve seen this at a GOP event
— Christian Datoc (@TocRadio) February 1, 2024
“Don’t ever get upset about people like that,” Haley said in response after some of her supporters answered with their own chants of “lock them up.”
“My husband and military men and women sacrifice every day for their rights,” she concluded.
Following Haley’s remarks, the Washington Examiner asked her what, “if anything,” she would be doing differently than Biden in regard to Israel and Gaza. However, she responded by focusing on ways to prevent Iranian proxy groups from attacking U.S. forces in the region. “I think, first of all, you have to say, ‘How did we get here?’ If he hadn’t fallen all over himself to get back into the Iran deal and lifted the sanctions allowing billions of dollars to flow from China buying that oil, these proxies wouldn’t have all the money to do what they did,” Haley stated. “Hamas wouldn’t have been able to go into Israel. Those proxies in Iraq and Syria wouldn’t be trying to shoot at our soldiers.”
She also pressured Biden to “put the sanctions” back on Iran immediately and “take out one or two” Iranian military leaders “making these decisions” relating to proxy attacks.
“You don’t have to hit Iran hard. You have to hit Iran smart,” Haley concluded. “They care if you touch their money, and they care if you touch their leaders. Those are the two things Biden needs to be focused on right now.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Haley trails Trump by more than 50 points ahead of next week’s Nevada GOP caucuses, according to the RealClearPolitics polling aggregate.
She will hold a similar meet-and-greet later Thursday evening in Hilton Head.