U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken’s testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday was repeatedly interrupted by protesters calling for a cease-fire and an end Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee to urge Congress to send immediate aid to Israel and Ukraine.
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00:00 Distinguished members of the Appropriations Committee, thank you for this opportunity to testify before you today.
00:06 [Unintelligible]
00:34 Nice that people feel very passionately, but I ask that we have order in this hearing room and respect our speakers.
00:40 We will move forward with the hearing.
00:42 In the face of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
00:44 Not in the face of an intensifying strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.
00:49 [Unintelligible]
00:52 If the witness will suspend, and I ask that everyone again respect this hearing, we will suspend until the room is clear.
01:00 This senator is calling for a ceasefire. Shame on you all.
01:05 The world is calling for a ceasefire.
01:08 The American people don't want to support this brutal war.
01:13 Stop the war. Stop the ceasefire now.
01:17 Stop funding this brutal massacre that Israel is doing on the people of Gaza.
01:25 Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now.
01:30 Because in this mission, as in so much that we do to advance America's national security,
01:35 our defense, our diplomacy, our development must work hand in hand.
01:40 [Unintelligible]
01:44 Committee will suspend, and again, I appreciate that people feel passionately about these issues.
01:50 I would ask that you respect our witnesses and our committee members and allow the American people to hear their testimony.
01:56 We will pause until the room is clear.
01:58 3,500 people in Gaza. 3,500 kids dead.
02:05 Come on, I'm an army colonel, I'm a former diplomat, I resigned on that war in Iraq that you talked about.
02:11 That was a terrible thing, and what we're doing right now in supporting Israel's genocide of Gaza is a terrible thing too.
02:20 I know that several--
02:22 Palestinians aren't animals. Stop funding this brutal massacre.
02:27 Committee will suspend, and I again ask that those in the audience respect the people in the room and allow us to continue the hearing.
02:33 The hearing will suspend until the disruption is removed.
02:37 Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now.
02:45 Demilitarize the border. People are not animals.
02:50 Let them be at the table. Why aren't they at the table? Ceasefire now. I beg you, ceasefire now.
03:01 From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go.
03:29 (Crowd chanting) Cease fire now! Cease fire now! Cease fire now!