The victory party for Rep. Adam B. Schiff in Hollywood took an unexpected turn on Tuesday night as more than two dozen protesters disrupted his speech by calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. The protesters, shouting phrases like “cease-fire now” and “Let Gaza live,” pushed towards the stage, causing a commotion that forced Schiff to cut his speech short.

Schiff, who was leading in the primary for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, was delivering his victory speech at the Avalon Theater when the protesters interrupted. Despite efforts by security guards to remove the protesters, Schiff acknowledged their right to protest, saying, “We are so lucky to live in a democracy where we all have a right to protest.”

As the protesters continued to chant, Schiff thanked his supporters and expressed his admiration for Sen. Feinstein. However, the noise from the protesters and Schiff’s supporters chanting his name made it difficult to hear his remarks. Eventually, Schiff hugged his wife and left the stage, promising to work with the protesters towards victory in November.

The Israel-Hamas conflict has been a divisive issue in the California Senate campaign, with Schiff’s opponent, Rep. Barbara Lee, advocating for a cease-fire in Gaza. Schiff, on the other hand, expressed support for a temporary cease-fire agreement that international mediators have been working on. President Biden has also endorsed this deal, which aims to release hostages held by Hamas before the start of Ramadan.

Despite facing protests and interruptions at campaign events, Schiff has received strong support from pro-Israel groups, including a substantial contribution from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Super PACs like AIPAC’s United Democracy Project have poured money into supporting Schiff’s candidacy, emphasizing his pro-Israel stance.

While Schiff has been bolstered by this support, cease-fire activists like Estee Chandler, the founding organizer of Jewish Voice for Peace-Los Angeles, have been vocal in their criticism of Schiff’s position on Gaza. Chandler and other activists have accused Schiff of failing to call for a permanent cease-fire, labeling the situation in Gaza as a form of genocide.

Despite the disruptions at his victory party and other campaign events, Schiff remains focused on his goal of winning the Senate seat in November. As the campaign intensifies, the issue of the Gaza conflict will continue to be a defining factor in the race, with Schiff’s stance on the cease-fire coming under scrutiny from both supporters and protesters.