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SAN FRANCISCO (MercuryNews.com) — Protesters heckled former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during a speech in San Francisco Thursday, denouncing him as a war criminal and demanding his arrest.
As soon as Olmert took the stage at the Westin St. Francis Hotel — and following a warning by the discussion’s moderator that no disturbances would be tolerated — a woman and man rose from their seats and shouted: “war criminal,” “mass murderer.”
VIDEO: Citizens arrest, disruption of Olmert in San Francisco
Olmert said as the man was dragged away by police. “Let him shout. Who cares.”
After another interruption, Olmert said he was “impressed by the amount of energy that some of them have,” but added, “they know nothing about the facts.”
Olmert rejected the report, calling it distorted, because, he said, it failed to address the background of the war.
“To come to Israel ignoring the fact that for 8 years Israel was attacked almost on a daily basis by rockets and missiles, and to talk only about the reaction of Israel is unfair, is unjust, is unacceptable, is intolerable and Israel will not cooperate with it,” he said.
The protesters inside were part of a bigger demonstration that took place outside the hotel in downtown San Francisco.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."