Retiring President Biden apologized on behalf of the federal government Friday for the historical policy of forcing Native American children into assimilation-focused boarding schools — only to be interrupted by a heckler who accused him of “committing a genocide in Palestine.”
“I formally apologize, as president of the United States of America, for what we did,” the 81-year-old Biden said during a trip to Arizona’s Gila River Indian Community just south of Phoenix. “It’s long, long, long overdue. Quite frankly, there’s no excuse that this apology took 50 years.”
Moments later, a woman in the crowd shouted loudly at the president.
“What about the people of Gaza? What about the people of Palestine?” the protester shouted.
“Let her talk,” Biden said as aides rushed to escort her away.
“How can you apologize for a genocide while committing a genocide in Palestine?” the woman bellowed, before chanting “Free Palestine! Free Palestine!”
“No, let her go,” Biden said before adding: “There’s a lot of innocent people being killed and it has to stop.”
Furious anti-Israel activists dubbed Biden “Genocide Joe” shortly after Hamas terrorists murdered about 1,200 people in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, starting a war by the Jewish state against Iran-backed terror groups — and similar heckling has interrupted many of Biden speeches in the last year, despite his mounting criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden made the appearance in Arizona just 11 days before the Nov. 5 presidential election, in which polling indicates the state is up for grabs.
About 4.5% of Arizona residents have Native ancestry.
Although no mention was made of former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, Biden did note the fact that “it’s been 10 years since a sitting president visited Indian country.”
Biden appeared alongside Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the second Native American to serve in a presidential Cabinet following Charles Curtis, who served as vice president from 1929 to 1933.
Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden’s handpicked successor as Democratic nominee, is campaigning Friday in Texas alongside pop superstar Beyoncé — despite the state being solidly in Trump’s column, according to polling.