TAMI CHAPPELL /REUTERS
Black Lives Matter protesters interrupted presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Friday while she spoke at the historically Black university, Clark Atlanta University.
Protesters chanting “Black lives matter” and “Hell You Talm Bout” disrupted Clinton’s speech, with Clinton backers responding with chants of “Hillary, Hillary” and “Let her talk” to drown them out.
The action was organized by members of #AUCShutItDown, a coalition of students from the Atlanta University Center, which includes Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta. The organization posted a statement on social media calling out law enforcement and university administrators for “multiple offenses committed against Black and brown lives.”
#Hillary4Who #AUCShutItDown @AUCShutItDown pic.twitter.com/sRuH2NKX9k
— MoNeka Young (@moe_nek_uh) October 30, 2015
The protesters were promptly removed from the facility.
— #AUCShutItDown (@AUCShutItDown) October 30, 2015
— #AUCShutItDown (@AUCShutItDown) October 30, 2015
While outside of the building, politicians, clergy and R&B singer Usher, attempted to confront the protesters.
— #AUCShutItDown (@AUCShutItDown) October 30, 2015
— #AUCShutItDown (@AUCShutItDown) October 30, 2015
Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon, also attempted to quell the student protest. In an interview he stated: “It is unfortunate that they didn’t listen to the secretary.”
“It is unfortunate that they didn’t listen to the secretary,” Rep. John Lewis says of the BLM protesters. pic.twitter.com/xpkGQFngs9
— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) October 30, 2015
Clinton’s appearance at CAU was part of her launch of “African Americans for Hillary,” a grassroots organizing event. During the event, Clinton outlined her plans for criminal justice reform and other issues important to the African American community. After the action, #AUCShutitDown posted the following statement on twitter:
#Hillary4Who#AUCShutItDownpic.twitter.com/z1ZSqcG3qP
— #AUCShutItDown (@AUCShutItDown) October 30, 2015
The protesters stated: “We’ve been waiting for weeks to see the platform that addresses these issues from Hillary Clinton’s campaign. We will wait no more.”
Clinton has still not released her criminal justice platform.
