Protesters with the Black Lives Matters movement interrupted a Hillary Clinton rally at a historically black university in Atlanta Friday while she was unveiling her criminal justice reform plan.
Members of the civil rights group in the crowd chanted "Black Lives Matters" and sang hymns throughout her speech, according to The Hill.
Clinton tried to acknowledge them at first, saying, "Yes, yes they do, and I'm going to talk a lot about that in a minute."
"Now my friends, I am going to get to some very important points that actually prove that black lives do matter and we have to take action together," she added. "And I hope that we'll have a chance to talk more as I have been meeting with activists from the Black Lives Matter movement."
However the protesters voices continued to escalate, prompting Clinton to plead with them to listen to her policy proposals.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, I have some - I have some issues to discuss and some proposals to make," she said. "If our friends will allow me to do it, they may actually find them to their liking."
In an apparent attempt to drown out the protesters and show their support, Clinton supporters began to loudly chant "Hillary! Hillary!" and "Let her talk!" according to CNN.
The Democratic front-runner ignored the protests and tried to continue with her speech for several minutes.
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights icon who had introduced Clinton at the start of the rally, took it upon himself to quell the protests, putting his hands on the shoulders of the protesters and speaking with them. This effectively silenced the protesters, who were escorted out shortly after the uproar.
"So, I'm sorry, you know, I appreciate their passion, but I'm sorry they didn't listen, because some of what they've been demanding, I am offering and intend to fight for as president," Clinton said.
"Let's remember that everyone in every community benefits when there is respect for the law, and when everyone in every community is respected by the law," she concluded.
The disruption was the first time that Black Lives Matter protesters have interrupted a Clinton event since she announced her bid for the presidency, though they've protested other Democrats' campaign events, reported the New York Daily News. Friday's rally was focused on criminal justice reform and was meant to allow Clinton to show her solidarity with the black community.
