Climate activist interrupts Biden’s speech – American president responds clearly Now Putin wants to send fighter jets against Ukraine

An incident occurred on Thursday during a speech by US President Joe Biden in the US state of Arizona. A man interrupted the 80-year-old, who was giving a speech about democracy in Tempe, and asked him why he didn’t declare a climate emergency.

“Excuse me for interrupting you, Mr. President, but why haven’t you declared a climate emergency yet?” the man shouted towards the stage. “Hundreds of people in Arizona have already died.”

Biden immediately responded to the climate activist. “Why don’t you wait – hold on, I’ll be happy to meet you when I’m done here, okay?” he said. But the man did not stop with his accusations against the president. He called on Biden to stick to his promises on climate protection and, for example, to no longer allow drilling for fossil fuels.

“Democracy is never easy”

In early 2023, the Biden administration greenlighted a major oil production project in an Alaskan natural area, although Biden had promised in 2020 to prevent such projects. The audience in the hall reacted angrily and booed the demonstrators. Occasionally there were shouts of ‘Shame on you’.

“If you keep your mouth shut, I’ll see you right after, okay?” the American president said again. For this he received support and applause from those present. But the activist was not deterred. “We need your leadership, Mr. President,” he pleaded.

Finally, security personnel led the man out of the hallway. “Democracy is never easy, as we just saw,” Biden said before continuing his speech.

Biden has not yet declared a climate emergency for the US. The White House had considered such a move last year when the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, which also includes extensive climate protection measures, temporarily stalled in the US Congress. However, Biden recently claimed that he had already declared a climate emergency “in practical terms” and referred to the climate protection measures his administration had taken.

Protester publishes action video

Most recently, the Biden administration did not renew permits for seven oil drilling projects in Northern Alaska’s sensitive ecosystems. These were still being issued by the Trump administration.

The activist later published a video of the disruptive action on the X platform (formerly Twitter). “My conscience forced me to interrupt his speech today to ask why he has not yet declared a climate emergency. Why he broke his promise that no new drilling would occur on federal land,” he wrote. Nonviolent protest is part of democracy. The man went on to say that he would have liked to meet Biden. But the Secret Service, responsible for protecting the president, and police escorted him from the compound.

During his speech, Democrat Biden also remembered his friend, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who died in 2018 when he was interrupted by the activist. In the presence of McCain’s widow, Cindy, Biden talked about how he convinced the Republican to enter politics and run for a congressional post in Arizona.

At one point, Biden faltered in his speech. When he spoke about McCain’s cancer diagnosis and at the same time thought about his late son Beau, who had the same diagnosis. Both Beau Biden and John McCain died from an aggressive brain tumor.

The American president was fighting back tears at this moment. “Please excuse me if I…” Biden addressed the audience. He had to swallow hard, then caught himself and praised McCain as a sincere, fighting Democrat and fighter for the American ideal.