Pro-Palestinian sign yanked out of state delegate’s hand at roll call

posted on: Jul 29, 2016

Jim Brunner
Seattle Times
PHILADELPHIA — An Iraqi American delegate from Washington had a pro-Palestinian sign yanked out of his hand this week by a member of the Democratic National Committee — an incident caught on national television.

The incident, which left some delegates steaming mad, happened Tuesday night when it came Washington’s turn to formally cast its votes for the Democratic presidential nomination in the roll call of the states.

Majid Al-Bahadli, a Bernie Sanders delegate, moved in close and held up a sign reading “I support Palestinian human rights” behind state Democratic Party Chair Jaxon Ravens, as Ravens recited the state’s vote.

On Thursday morning, loud boos rang out from some Sanders supporters during Washington’s delegation breakfast as the roll-call moment was replayed on a video.

Al-Bahadli remained angry. “This is unacceptable,” he said, adding he didn’t know who had taken the sign until someone sent him photos. When he got the sign back later, he said it was ripped.

Wilbur said she did not see what was on the sign when she grabbed it. “It had nothing to do with what was on the sign at all,” she said. “It had nothing to do with the content.”

She said she did not rip the sign and returned it later intact to an arena staffer so it could be returned.

Wilbur said she believed the sign was blocking the views of people behind it. “The sign was there. We were doing roll call. I thought it was blocking someone’s face.”

Tearing up, she said she was sorry and that she had tried to apologize to Al-Bahadli.

Source: www.seattletimes.com