Jill gets in shopping and a workout with granddaughters Naomi and Finnegan as protesters gather on Nantucket to interrupt Biden holiday

Jill Biden was out shopping with granddaughters Finnegan and Naomi, in downtown Nantucket on Saturday as protesters have interrupted the first family's holiday get away.

Dressed in black workout gear the first lady stopped in Murray's Beverage Store, the local liquor store, and then made her way across the street to the Ralph Lauren store. She and the two girls were trailed by SUVs and a large contingent of Secret Service agents. 

President Joe Biden, Jill, their children Hunter and Ashley and the majority of their grandchildren are spending the Thanksgiving holiday on Nantucket in a $34 million water-side compound owned by philanthropist David Rubenstein. Shopping is large part of their stay.

During their trip, the first family have had their outings repeatedly interrupted by protesters, calling for a Free Palestine and accusing the president of genocide.

On Saturday, protesters were gathered on the road that leads from Rubenstein's house on Abrams Point to downtown Nantucket. If the president goes into town on Saturday - he usually attends mass at the local church - he would see them on his route.  

Shopping is a traditional outing for the Biden family when they are on the small island off the coast of Massachusetts. 

On Friday, the family had their traditional lunch at Brotherhood of the Thieves, a local pub, before walking the streets for some Christmas shopping and then attending the annual lighting of the town's Christmas Tree.

Their first stop was Nantucket Bookworks, a family tradition.

'Can't come without going to the bookstore. We've got a tradition,' the president told reporters. 

Biden walked out of the bookstore carrying the tome Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson.

'We're having a great time, thank you,' Jill Biden told reporters of their day.

The president then popped into Craftmasters of Nantucket, a store Hunter was spotted in Wednesday, where the first son purchased a pair of slippers - potentially a gift for the president as the family was celebrating his 81st birthday that day. 

Hunter Biden also was out Friday with his wife Melissa Cohen.

They held hands while the first son carried a Brotherhood of Thieves hoodie with him as they walked down the Nantucket streets. 

Hunter's daughters from his first marriage, Maisy, Finnegan and Naomi, were also on hand, as was Naomi's husband of one year, Peter Neal. 

First daughter Ashley Biden, sporting a festive kelly green coat, was out and about with her husband Howard Krein. She sported a festive holly and reindeer eared headband. 

The children of the late Beau Biden, Little Hunter and Natalie, also joined the family on their outing. 

Onlookers shouted 'Happy Birthday' at the president, who in turn wished them a 'Happy Thanksgiving!' 

But it was the Friday night tree lighting ceremony that was interrupted by about a dozen protesters, asking the president to 'Free Palestine' and accusing him of genocide.

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 for the lighting ceremony.

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. 

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 demonstrators were all Nantucket natives or currently live on the island. 

'Nantucket Island has long been considered an exclusive vacation getaway for rich tourists. However, the protests on Friday night indicate that island residents are pushing back on their island and community being used as a safe haven for politicians and wealthy elites,' said a press release about the protest.  

Another pro-Palestine protest is scheduled for tomorrow, when the Biden family usually returns to the downtown shopping area for mark Small Business Saturday. 

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. 

'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.