Nancy Pelosi's Oxford speech disrupted by anti-Israel protesters

Nancy Pelosi, the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, faced a disruptive protest during a speech she delivered at the Oxford Union at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom on Thursday. As the 84-year-old Democratic congresswoman from California began her remarks, a student quietly approached the front of the room, unfurled a Palestinian flag, and turned to block the audience's view.

The protest group Youth Demand later claimed responsibility for the demonstration on the social media platform X, posting a video of the incident. "Warmongers like Nancy Pelosi are not welcome on University campuses," their message read, adding a warning that "we aren't f---ing around anymore."

Despite the initial disruption caused by the protester, who was joined by an apparent colleague, Pelosi continued her speech, calling for peace in Gaza. "The suffering of Gaza must stop," she said, according to reports from The Telegraph. "We want peace on both sides. Both sides must agree to it."

The protesters stood awkwardly in front of the podium until they were eventually removed by police, prompting applause from the audience. Youth Demand justified their actions, stating, "When children are being murdered, and hospitals are being bombed, we will not sit down and be quiet while these people are given platforms."

Pelosi's visit to the U.K. has been met with protests from anti-Israel groups. On Monday, during her visit to University College Dublin in Ireland, where she received the Sutherland Leadership Award, students also demonstrated outside the university.

The disruption at Oxford reflects the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with hundreds of students at elite U.S. colleges and universities forming anti-Israel encampments on their campuses. These demonstrations, some of which have turned violent and antisemitic, have called for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and a complete divestment of colleges from Israel-linked interests and sanctions towards them.