Pro-Palestinian protesters were able to storm the stage and remain for a significant period of time while Navy Secretary John Phelan was speaking at the National Security Forum on Monday.
Phelan was speaking with former Rep. Mike Gallagher at the forum when a group of four pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the stage, holding up a Palestinian flag and a sign reading, “Palantir kills in Gaza, surveils at home.” They were confronted by two people who made a half-hearted effort to take the sign away as they chanted pro-Palestinian and anti-Palantir slogans.
Recommended Stories
- DC mayor worried about Trump military parade causing $16 million in roadway damages
- In Singapore, Hegseth threatens ‘devastating consequences’ if China attempts to conquer Taiwan
- Houthis likely rebuilding arsenal in aftermath of ceasefire: 'Plenty of threat remaining'
Others came to assist after about 30 seconds, following Phelan saying, “Hey Gio, Gio, Gio, behind me,” gesturing to the protesters. The group was then guided off stage while chanting, “Stop Palantir!”
“How wonderful, Mr. Secretary, to live in a country where people are allowed to speak their mind, ask questions of their governments, because in fact, the adversaries that we’re up against, whether they’re the genocidal communists in Beijing or the Salafi jihadists in the Middle East, don’t allow such luxuries for their own citizens. So apologies for the interruption,” Gallagher said.
The protesters were able to remain onstage for nearly a minute, just a few feet away from the secretary of the Navy, prompting outrage from many.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT BOULDER ATTACK TARGETING PRO-ISRAEL RUN FOR THEIR LIVES GROUP
“Given the Palestinian terror attack in Boulder yesterday, it’s absolutely insane that Islamic terrorist affiliates were allowed to get this close to the Secretary of the Navy. Serious security failure that needs to be addressed,” former Department of Defense official Ezra Cohen said in a post on X.
Though the protesters stood closer to Phelan, the action was apparently addressed at Gallagher, as the protesters pointed out he was a Palantir board member.
Palantir is a data analytics company partly founded and run by Trump ally Peter Thiel. It works with the U.S. military and intelligence agencies, a fact that has drawn significant criticism.