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1 year ago
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The Nantucket Christmas tree lighting that President Joe Biden was attending Friday evening with his family was interrupted by 'Free Palestine' protesters.
The president, first lady Jill Biden and their children and grandchildren were gathered alongside the tree in Nantucket's town square as the town crier led the countdown to get the tree illuminated.
But after that went off without a hitch - after technical difficulties last year - fewer than 10 protesters at the front of the crowd unveiled 'free Palestine' and 'end apartheid' signs, directly in the president's line of sight.
'Biden, Biden you can't hide. We charge you with genocide,' they chanted.
A man went up to the microphone to remind them 'this is a community tree lighting' and said that while he 'respected their right to the First Amendment' he encouraged them to stop.
Protesters held up 'Free Palestine' and 'end apartheid' signs at the Nantucket Christmas tree lighting that President Joe Biden attended with his family Friday evening
President Joe Biden (center) stands with family members (from left) Hunter, Melissa Cohen, Ashley, little Hunter and Naomi at Nantucket's Christmas tree lighting ceremony, which was interrupted by 'Free Palestine' protesters
Baby Beau Biden is hoisted up by his sister Maisy Biden at the annual Nantucker Christmas tree lighting that was interrupted by 'Free Palestine' protesters
The pro-Palestine demonstration popped up after Nantucket's downtown Christmas tree was lit for the holiday season, with President Joe Biden and his family situated a short distance away
They resisted, but their message was drowned out by the crowd's cheering and loud Christmas music playing.
The children's choir rushed over to the president in the interim.
The Christmas tree lighting was the Biden family's last stop off the day after taking over downtown Nantucket for several hours.
The president's traditional Black Friday jaunt was delayed due to the first release of hostages from Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas' brutal October 7 terror attack on Israel.
Biden has become a target of criticism over his steadfast support of Israel, whose military has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians in their effort to root out Hamas fighters responsible for the October 7 attack.
He again said Friday that he asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be mindful of civilian casualties.
'I have encouraged the prime minister to focus on trying to reduce the number of casualties while he is attempting to eliminate Hamas, which is a legitimate objective he has. That's a difficult task and I don't know how long it will take,' Biden said.
The Biden clan reacts to the Christmas tree lighting Friday evening on Nantucket. (From left) Hunter, Melissa Cohen, the president, Ashley Biden, Howard Krein, little Hunter, Finnegan, baby Beau, Maisy and Dr. Jill Biden
Ashley Biden (center right) sported a holly and reindeer ears headband and attended the tree lighting with her husband Howard Krein (right), while Hunter Biden (left) stood with wife Melissa Cohen (center left)
Dr. Jill Biden (left) smiles as she wateches the Christmas tree lighting on Main Street in Nantucket alongside Hunter Biden (left) and President Joe Biden (center)
President Joe Biden (right) addressed the nation Friday afternoon from the White Elephant Hotel in Nantucket as the first hostages were released by Hamas from Gaza. No U.S. citizens have yet to be released and the president wasn't sure when that would happen
Onlookers react to seeing President Joe Biden roaming the streets Friday of Nantucket ahead of the town's annual Christmas tree lighting
'My expectation and hope is that as we move forward, the rest of the Arab world and the region is also putting pressure on all sides to slow this down, to bring this to an end as quickly as we can,' he added.
He and Dr. Biden then left the room together to join the larger Biden clan.
The Bidens had a very late lunch at the historic whaling bar Brotherhood of Thieves and then popped into Nantucket Bookworks, stops that are part of their family Thanksgiving trip tradition.
Biden used Nantucket's waterfront White Elephant hotel to deliver remarks and take questions from reporters, before walking uptown for food, shopping and the island's Christmas kick-off.
Son Hunter and his wife Melissa Cohen were out on the streets with baby Beau, along with Hunter's children from his first marriage - Maisy, Finnegan and Naomi.
First lady Jill Biden (left) and President Joe Biden (right) walk through Nantucket Friday after the president delivered remarks on the hostage situation in Gaza
Hunter Biden (left) holds hands with his wife Melissa Cohen (left) and holds a hoodie from Brotherhood of Thieves, the Nantucket restaurant where the Biden family likes to have their Black Friday lunch
First lady Jill Biden (left) holds the arm of her daughter Ashley Biden (right) who sported a bright green coat. The first family attends Nantucket's Christmas tree lighting as part of their Thanksgiving festivites
President Joe Biden (right) and first lady Jill Biden (left) depart the White Elephant Hotel on Nantucket after the president delivered brief remarks on the hostage situation in Gaza. They then headed uptown where they had a late lunch and did some shopping
Naomi's husband of one year, Peter Neal, was also along for the trip.
First daughter Ashley Biden, sporting a festive kelly green coat, walked side by side with her mother.
Her husband Howard Krein attended the Christmas tree lighting, where Ashley put on a festive holly and reindeer eared headband.
Hunter and Melissa held hands while the first son carried a Brotherhood of Thieves hoodie with him as they walked down the Nantucket streets.
The children of the late Beau Biden, Hunter and Natalie, also joined the family on their outing.
'We're having a great time, thank you,' Dr. Biden told reporters after stepping out of the bookstore.
The president acknowledged he was doing some Christmas shopping.
'Yes. Can't come without going to the bookstore. We've got a tradition,' he said.
Biden walked out of the bookstore carrying the tome Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson he then popped into Craftmasters of Nantucket, a store Hunter was spotted in Wednesday purchasing a pair of slippers.
Onlookers shouted 'Happy Birthday' at the president, who turned 81 on Monday.
He and the family officially celebrated the occasion Wednesday at their 13,000 square foot waterfront compound, owned by friend David Rubenstein, a billionaire philanthropist.
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