U.S. Congressional candidate Scott Wiener, a leading contender to succeed House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, was confronted by a pro-Palestinian activist in San Francisco’s Mission District. A video of the encounter, lasting three minutes, shows an unidentified individual challenging Wiener regarding the conflict in Gaza.
In the clip, the activist calls Wiener, who is Jewish, a “Zionist” and repeatedly demands that he publicly state “Free Palestine.” The activist argues that innocent children are being killed and accuses Wiener of promoting a “genocidal agenda.” Wiener is seen in the video remaining largely silent and occasionally looking away. The activist also accused Wiener of taking money from AIPAC, which Wiener denied.
This incident occurs as Wiener advances to the November general election for California’s 11th congressional district. He secured 41% of the vote, positioning him ahead of Pelosi-endorsed candidate Connie Chan, a San Francisco supervisor.
Wiener’s stance on the conflict has evolved. He previously stopped short of calling Israel's actions in Gaza a “genocide” but changed his position in January after refusing to do so during a debate. At that time, Wiener stated, “I do believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. To me the Israeli government has tried to destroy Gaza and to push Palestinians out. And that qualifies as genocide.” Connie Chan, Wiener’s opponent in the general election, has also characterized Israel's actions in Gaza as a “genocide.”