President Biden was briefly interrupted by a climate protester Thursday in Arizona, agreeing to meet with the protester after his speech to discuss climate change if he would “shush up.”
The climate protester, who identified himself as Kai Newkirk, was pressuring the president to declare a national emergency on the climate crisis, which would unlock sweeping new federal regulations and funds to combat the climate emergency.
“Why have you yet to declare a climate emergency?” the Newkirk yelled, interrupting the president’s remarks about protecting democracy and honoring the late Sen. John McCain at Tempe Center for the Arts in Tempe. “Hundreds of Arizonans have died.”
“We need you to use your full powers to confront this crisis,” Newkirk said. “And keep your promise. Keep your promise. No new drilling on [federal lands]. Why have you yet to declare a climate emergency?”
While some in the crowd shushed and booed the interrupting Newkirk, Biden responded with a calming hand gesture before saying he would meet up with him “immediately after this” if he “shush up.”
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“If you shush up, I’ll meet with you immediately after this,” the president said to resounding applause from the crowd.
Newkirk, the founder and President of For All, wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital following his interaction with the president saying that he would “gladly have accepted and still do if the offer stands.”
“I couldn’t hear President Biden’s offer to meet as folks yelled at me, but I would gladly have accepted and still do if the offer stands,” Newkirk said. “I ask him to honor his offer to meet with me and with climate scientists and frontline leaders calling on him to use his full powers to confront what he himself calls an “existential threat.
In a press release, Newkirk said he will continue to organize “nonviolent direction action” until Biden declares a climate emergency and phases out fossil fuels.
“Love and truth leave us no moral choice but to continue organizing nonviolent direct action until President Biden uses his full powers to solve this existential crisis, starting with declaring a climate emergency and keeping his promises on phasing out fossil fuels,” added Newkirk.
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Biden continued his remarks following the brief interruption, saying, “Democracy is never easy, as we just demonstrated.”
Photos from the event show Newkirk being removed from the Tempe Center for the Arts.