Climate Protester Tackled Off Stage as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Speaks at Campaign Event in Iowa
During a presidential campaign event in Iowa, a climate protester was captured on video being rushed off stage and tackled to the ground as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the crowd. The incident occurred at a BBQ restaurant in Ames on Thursday evening, where DeSantis was speaking to hundreds of people. Three activists, believed to be from the Sunrise Movement, interrupted DeSantis and accused him of accepting money from the fossil fuel industry.
DeSantis Responds to Protesters
DeSantis responded to the interruption by snapping at the protesters, stating, “Excuse me, hold on. Excuse me, I’m doing this. I know you have an agenda. Stop!” He then addressed the crowd, mentioning that the protester wants people to pay more for gas and declared that they will not let people like that win. As a second protester rushed to the stage with a banner reading “DESANTIS: CLIMATE CRIMINAL,” DeSantis’s security team quickly tackled both protesters and removed them from the stage.
DeSantis’s Remarks and Reactions
The man carrying the banner shouted, “Ron DeSantis is a climate criminal!” The incident was captured on video and shared on social media. DeSantis dismissed the tackled protester, stating that he telegraphed his actions and stumbled while trying to unfurl his flag. The governor also made a comment about the college system, although it was unclear if the protesters were college students. DeSantis continued with his remarks and later took questions about his policy positions, emphasizing that he welcomes normal and respectful questions from the public.
About the Sunrise Movement
The Sunrise Movement, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting climate change, has been known for interrupting DeSantis during his public appearances. The group describes itself as a movement of young people fighting to stop the climate crisis and achieve a green new deal. They aim to force the government to end its reliance on fossil fuels and invest in marginalized communities.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was giving a speech during a campaign stop in Ames, Iowa, on Thursday when climate protesters interrupted him. Getty Images
A young man carrying a banner that read DESANTIS: CLIMATE CRIMINAL” rushed the stage. @gene5335 / X
DeSantis security team quickly tackled the man and rushed him off, along with another protester. @gene5335 / X
“Ron DeSantis is a climate criminal!” the man yelled, as caught on video shared on X.
Almost as soon as the protesters stepped on the stage, at least two members of the security team grabbed him and tackled him off of the stage, pinning him to the ground.
“That’s exhibit A” for “what’s wrong with the college system,” the governor said to cheers, though there was no clear indication the young protesters were college students. Ames is home to Iowa State University.
“If you’re gonna do that, like he was like stumbling around to get his flag out. Like he telegraphed that a mile away,” DeSantis said dismissively of the tackled protester.
A woman also shouted from the crowd soon after she was hauled off, too.
DeSantis, who debated former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley a day earlier, continued with his remarks before taking questions about his policy positions.
“We take questions from folks all the time,” DeSantis told reporters ltare. “Yeah, I’m not going to let these, these numb-nuts rush the stage or do anything like that, but I mean people that ask, you know, normal, respectful questions, we’re happy to do.”
The Sunshine State governor was on his fourth event of the day during his whirlwind tour of Iowa in the final push to the Iowa Caucus on Jan. 15.
The Sunrise Movement, a nonprofit group that aims to fight climate change, also interrupted DeSantis during his Fox News town hall on Tuesday, according to the Washington Examiner.
On its website, the organization describes itself as a “movement of young people fighting to stop the climate crisis and win a green new deal” working to “force the government to end the era of fossil fuel elites, invest in Black, brown and working class communities.”
With Post Wires