BEFORD, N.H. -- Occupy protesters interrupted former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney's final speech before primary day in New Hampshire, shouting, "We are the 99 percent!" before being escorted out of the room by security guards.
The protesters, scattered throughout the room, were wearing gray bags on their hands also reading "We are the 99 percent." The protesters' chants were quickly drowned out by Romney's supporters shouting, "Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!"
One woman who was near the front of the room -- and therefore tougher for security guards to reach quickly -- continued chanting after the others, and Romney decided to engage with her.
"How about you talk?" Romney said. "Instead of shouting, why don't you say -- why don't you say what you believe? What's your opinion? Madam, what do you think?"
The woman said she was concerned about money in politics, and Romney replied, "Okay, and who's the president who's spending more money to campaign than any in the history of America?" The woman began shouting that she doesn't support Obama either, but she was drowned out by cheers from Romney's supporters, and she was soon escorted out.
Romney was joined onstage by several of his sons, their wives and their children, encouraging voters to cast their vote for him in Tuesday's primary elections.
According to Bedford Patch, more than 1,100 people turned out to Kelvie Intermediate School to get a glimpse of the former governor. Approximately 450 people had to watch the event on a screen from an overflow room.
Romney's supporters, not surprisingly, weren't too thrilled with the protests.
When one man saw some members of the press following the protesters to interview them, he sarcastically said, "Make sure you go and interview them. One protester. Oh my god. We got to get this story! ... Mitt's up here giving a great speech!"
David Dale, a Concord resident who decided to vote for Romney tomorrow only after coming to the speech tonight, said he thought the protesters were "loony toons," but he supported their right to free speech.