For the third time in the first hour of the Democratic presidential debate, protesters from the audience interrupted the event, this time attacking Joe Biden for the number of deportations that occurred while he served as vice president.
CNN moderator Don Lemon asked, “In the first two years of the Obama administration nearly 800,000 immigrants were deported, far more than during President Trump’s first two years. Would the higher deportation rates resume if you were president?”
“Absolutely not,” Biden responded, before taking a jab at fellow presidential contender Julián Castro.
Shouting loudly, the heckling began.
“3 million deportations, 3 million deportations,” the demonstrators broke in, citing the number of immigrants deported under the total presidency of Barack Obama.
“Please be respectful, please be respectful in the crowd,” Lemon said, attempting to quell the shouting. Biden had to stop speaking while the audience members yelled.
Protesters earlier in the debate shouted at New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, chanting about the death of Eric Garner and the NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, who was involved. They repeated the chant minutes later during Cory Booker’s opening statement.
