Vice President Kamala Harris was captured on camera clapping to a Puerto Rican protest song during her visit to San Juan on Friday. The incident occurred at the Goyoco community center in the Santurce neighborhood of San Juan, where Harris took a tour and interacted with center staff and community leaders.
Upon arrival, the motorcade was met with a mix of demonstrators and onlookers, with some holding signs expressing various sentiments. One sign labeled Harris as a 'war criminal,' while another criticized the USA and Israel as 'genocidal.'
Inside the community center, Harris was seen clapping and nodding along as a group of musicians performed. However, her applause ceased when an aide translated the lyrics being sung, which included messages about Free Palestine and Haiti.
Before her visit to the community center, Harris toured a residential home outside San Juan that had been damaged during Hurricane Maria. The home had since been equipped with solar panels and water tanks through a federal program. Harris highlighted the administration's commitment to Puerto Rico, mentioning an investment of over $140 billion in the region.
During her visit, Harris emphasized the importance of providing resources and support to the community and praised new technologies aimed at making infrastructure more resilient to hurricanes. She was accompanied by Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Adrianne Todman, and Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi.