Activist Forcibly Removed from Blinken's Last Press Conference: "I'm Being Hurt!"

The final press conference of Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday turned into a chaotic scene as reporters were physically removed from the event, including an activist who was carried out.

The men were furious that a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel had not been reached promptly, and they accused Blinken of "genocide" and being a "criminal."

Sam Husseini, a writer and activist, was forcibly removed from the event by security. Meanwhile, Max Blumenthal, a reporter from Grayzone News, exited the event peacefully but was still escorted out after questioning Blinken about the ongoing bombings.

"You are questioning the importance of a free press?" Husseini exclaimed. "I am asking questions because Matt Miller has refused to answer them, and I am doing so. Wasn't the purpose of the May 31st statement to prevent the ICJ from issuing orders? You blocked the ICJ orders!"

Blumenthal questioned Blinken on why he allowed "the Holocaust of our time" as he was escorted out, but the uproar persisted. Blinken attempted to regain control, at one point requesting people to "respect the process," but Husseini remained unyielding.

"Respect the process, even though Amnesty International, the ICJ, and others are saying that Israel is committing genocide and extermination, and you're telling me to respect the process. You're a criminal and should be in The Hague."

In an attempt to remove him from the room, three security guards eventually had to physically restrain Husseini, who was shouting and clinging to the table he was sitting at while continuing to shout at Blinken: "You are hurting me. You are hurting me!"

This week, the United States, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement, which was proposed by President Joe Biden in May. Although Israel still needs to fully ratify the agreement, it is a three-phase process that may begin as early as Sunday. This deal marks the first respite in fighting since a brief truce in November 2023, but hostilities resumed shortly thereafter with both sides accusing each other of violating the agreed-upon terms.

"You kept the bombs flowing despite having a deal with Gaza, and now 300 reporters are on the receiving end. Why did you do that, Blinken?" Blumenthal shouted at the Secretary of State after thanking him for his "hard questions" during his four-year tenure. "We all knew we had a deal, Tony, and you kept the bombs flowing."

The State Department values the opportunity to regularly communicate with the press and is committed to advancing press freedom, but follows agency norms that require attendees to act professionally, observe any restrictions in advance, and not interrupt other speakers.

During his final press conference as Secretary of State on Thursday, Blinken defended the Biden administration's policy approach to the fighting in Gaza. He acknowledged that the war in Gaza posed a "uniquely challenging situation" due to the humanitarian issues Palestinians faced after Hamas launched their attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Blinken also acknowledged that the U.S. had "real differences with Israel on the way it’s gone about the necessary defense of its people and its country."

According to Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor, the Biden administration does not consider the events in Gaza to be a genocide.

This week's deal hit a snag when Hamas pushed last-minute demands. Additionally, Netanyahu faced pressure from far-right politicians not to go through with it. However, on Friday morning, Netanyahu stated that the ceasefire and hostage deal were still on, pending approval from Israel's security cabinet and government, and expected to start Sunday.