US President Barack Obama speaks during a reception in honor of LGBT Pride Month in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, June 24, 2015. AFP PHOTO
WASHINGTON鈥揢S President Barack Obama would normally expect a warm welcome from gay rights activists, particularly in his own home at the White House, but that was not the case Wednesday.
Hosting a reception to observe LGBT Pride Month in the East Room, Obama was repeatedly interrupted by persistent shouts from a member of the audience, prompting a few awkward minutes before the president instructed the individual be ejected.
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鈥淟isten, you are in my house,鈥� said a finger-waging Obama, as the person could be heard to shout about deportations in English and Spanish.
鈥淵ou know what, it is not respectful鈥� Obama added. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to get a good response from me by interrupting me like this.鈥�
When it became clear the protester would not stop, Obama said, 鈥淪hame on you,鈥� adding, 鈥淵ou shouldn鈥檛 be doing this,鈥� before asking security to 鈥渆scort this person out.鈥�
The crowd chanted 鈥淥-Ba-Ma!鈥� to drown out the shouts.
A visibly angry Obama joked with the crowd: 鈥淎s a general rule I am just fine with a few hecklers. But not when I鈥檓 up in the house.鈥�