Former Vice President Kamala Harris was confronted by pro-Palestinian protesters on the opening night of her book tour in New York, where she expressed compassion for the people of Gaza and condemned President Donald Trump for giving Israel “a blank check.” Speaking before a packed crowd at a Times Square performance center on Wednesday night, Harris said, “What’s happening to the Palestinian people is outrageous and it breaks my heart,” shortly after being interrupted by the first of four protesters. She accused Trump of empowering Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act without accountability, declaring, “Donald Trump has given Netanyahu a blank check to do whatever he wants.” Her remarks came during a discussion of her new book, 107 Days, released Tuesday, which chronicles the rapid campaign she launched against Trump after Joe Biden’s exit from the 2024 presidential race.
The event was originally scheduled as a single appearance at the 1,500-seat venue, but due to overwhelming demand, her team added a second show earlier in the evening. The war in Gaza has become one of the most divisive issues in U.S. politics, splitting the Democratic Party and fueling nationwide protests. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack. Harris noted her support for New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who has also spoken out against the war, and said she was “excited” about his candidacy, calling him a powerful voice for those who have felt excluded from politics.
Outside the venue, dozens of demonstrators rallied on the sidewalk, while inside, the discussion was repeatedly interrupted. One protester shouted, “Your legacy is genocide. The blood of the Palestinians is on your hands,” before being escorted out. Another accused her directly, saying, “This is your fault.” As tensions escalated, Harris urged the audience to lower the temperature, reminding them she had first spoken publicly about starvation in Gaza more than a year earlier while serving as vice president, despite facing criticism from the Biden administration. Addressing one of the protesters, she said, “I understand your concern and how you feel — I think I do. And the reality of it is where we are right now didn’t have to be this way, in terms of the blank check that this president has given.”
Throughout the night, Harris criticized Trump, comparing him and his allies to “a communist dictatorship” for suppressing dissent. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump attacked Harris on social media, mocking her for describing her 2024 election loss as the closest of the century. Trump called her “DUMB AS A ROCK” and insisted she owed him an apology, claiming her statement was “a total lie.” While Harris lost to Trump in the electoral college by 312 to 226, two elections since 2000 have been closer, including George W. Bush’s narrow 2004 victory over John Kerry.
Now 60, Harris has not revealed her long-term political plans. She has already declined the chance to run for governor in California, leaving speculation about her future wide open. Reactions to her book event underscored the uncertainty. Valerie Lewis, 56, of New York, said she hopes Harris can help unify a fractured nation and would “love” to see her run for president again. But her husband, Eugene Dixon, 65, disagreed, saying bluntly, “She can’t do it. I don’t believe America is ready to have a woman president.” Lewis rolled her eyes at the remark, conceding only that, “It’s harder for a woman. I don’t think it’s possible.
