More than 20 demonstrators chanting for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip abruptly ended Congressman Adam B. Schiff's victory speech at an election night party in Hollywood on Tuesday night.
Early results show Mr. Schiff (D-Burbank) leading in the primary race for the U.S. Senate seat once held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, with a Republican and former Dodgers star running in November. It has been indicated that a showdown with Steve Garvey is scheduled.
Mr. Schiff, who maintained a strong lead in his early return, took to the stage at Hollywood's Avalon Theater around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday to address a gathering of campaign workers and other supporters. About two minutes into his victory speech, he was interrupted by a group of demonstrators storming the stage shouting “ceasefire now!” and “Let Gaza live!”
Security personnel tried to remove demonstrators from the crowd, but to no avail. About a minute after the chorus started, Schiff said over the noise: “We're really lucky, we're really lucky, to live in a democracy where everyone has the right to protest.”
As protesters approached the stage, campaign staff and security motioned for Schiff to leave. But Schiff continued speaking, thanking former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), former Sen. Barbara Boxer and California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas for their support.
Schiff said he found himself “thinking a lot about Sen. Feinstein, who was an incredible giant in the United States Senate.” It was difficult to hear Schiff's comments about the shouting match between protesters and Schiff supporters shouting Schiff's name.
Schiff hugged his wife, Eve Schiff, and left the stage, saying, “I want to recognize the rights of the protesters. I look forward to working with you to achieve victory in November.”
The Israel-Hamas war has become an active issue in California's Senate race for five months after Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250 during raids on Israel. After the attack, Israel sought to eliminate Hamas through devastating attacks on the Gaza Strip.That campaign cost lives. over 30,000 PalestiniansMany of them are civilians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. over 240 Israeli soldiersannounced by the Israeli government.
Schiff's opponent, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), told voters in a recent debate that she supports a Senate resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The other three front-runners, Schiff, Garvey and Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine), said they would not participate.
Schiff told reporters at a campaign event in San Francisco on Sunday that he supports a temporary ceasefire agreement that international mediators have been working on for weeks. President Biden has also publicly supported the deal, which includes a 40-day ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas before the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
“Look, we need to get the hostages released,” Schiff said. “We also have to deal with the humanitarian crisis, and we have to make sure that aid comes in and people get out. … The people of Gaza also have to deal with Hamas, who started this war, who are integrated into the civilian population. I hope this agreement can be reached and the fighting will be temporarily suspended.”
Mr. Schiff, the most pro-Israel Democrat seeking a Senate seat, was buoyed by a wave of spending by pro-Israel groups in the final stages of the primary. This includes a $5 million contribution by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the independent spending arm of the pro-Israel lobby, to an independent spending committee supporting Mr. Schiff's candidacy.
Such groups, also known as super PACs, can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, but they cannot coordinate with candidates or donate directly to campaigns.
A spokesperson for the AIPAC super PAC, United Democracy Project, told the Times that the group recently made a $5 million donation. It is not yet disclosed in federal campaign finance disclosures. Schiff's victory on Tuesday “further demonstrates that being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics,” the spokesperson said. “Congressman. Mr. Schiff's strong support for U.S.-Israel relations reflects the views of the majority of Americans.”
Estie Chandler, a Los Angeles resident and founder of Jewish Voice of Peace Los Angeles, told the Times after the event that she and other Jewish activists were “very concerned about what it means for an oppressed minority to be vilified.” We are not going to do it in our name because we know that we can normalize their genocide.”
“Our government and Adam Schiff have rejected calls for a permanent ceasefire,” Chandler said. “It's disgraceful. This is what the genocide looks like. Children are literally starving to death right now.”
Representatives for Mr. Schiff's campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
Ceasefire activists have protested at a number of Schiff's events since the war began in October. During an election event last weekend at a union hall in Orange, demonstrators interrupted Schiff's speech six times and called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel. Ta.
Schiff did not acknowledge the protests and continued speaking as security guards removed protesters.
