US President Joe Biden and Shawn Fain, President of the United Auto Workers (UAW), wave during the United Auto Workers union conference
AFP

KEY POINTS

  • Biden's trip to Michigan was to celebrate the United Auto Workers (UAW) union endorsing his re-election bid last week
  • Protesters chanted "Free, free Palestine" while Biden spoke to union auto workers at the venue
  • Michigan is home to a sizeable Arab-American community, who are growing increasingly frustrated with Biden's support of Israel

President Joe Biden won a strong pledge of support Thursday from auto workers union in Michigan, which has critical 15 electoral votes in the Electoral College. However, his trip was marred by protests over his backing of Israel's actions in Gaza.

Biden's trip to Michigan was to celebrate the United Auto Workers (UAW) union endorsing his re-election bid last week. As the president chatted with the union crowd Thursday, police outside the UAW hall in Warren held back pro-Palestinian demonstrators and stopped them from approaching the venue.

Nearly 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were reportedly waiting for Biden near the UAW Region 1 building prior to the event.

Slogans like "Free, free Palestine," and "Hey Biden, what do you say? We won't vote on Election Day" were chanted by the crowd.

Michigan is home to a sizeable Arab-American community, who have been demanding the president seek a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war and are growing increasingly frustrated as the Palestinian death toll continues to rise. More than 27,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since Oct. 7.

Biden's schedule in Michigan also reportedly did not include any meetings with Arab Americans.

"Why not have a meaningful conversation for how you change course with a community that has first-hand accounts of what it's like to live in the countries where your decision-making is unfolding?" said Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of the Michigan city of Dearborn, which has one of the largest Arab American communities in the U.S.

The White House had not provided details in advance about Biden's planned meeting in Michigan. However, protesters reportedly gathered themselves in cars and vans, ready to dash to whichever spot the president made an appearance.

"We're ready to go. I have my megaphone in the car," Farah Khan, a Pakistani-American, told Reuters.

Khan had voted for Biden in 2020 but now supports the Abandon Biden campaign in Michigan.

"We have 92 Abandon Biden chapters across the country. This is bigger than just Michigan," Khan told the outlet.

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