LOS ANGELES -- Opponents of the 'don't ask don't tell' policy on gays in the military interrupted President Barack Obama with heckling at a Los Angeles fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer.
The protesters shouted to ask Obama what he is going to do about the policy, which prohibits gays from serving openly in the military. Multiple times, the shouts grew so insistent that Obama responded.
WATCH Obama stop to address the protesters twice, first at around the two-minute mark:
The president said that he supports overturning "don't ask don't tell" and suggested the protesters should be yelling at the people who don't.
Obama has called on Congress to lift the ban, and military officials are examining how to do that.
Obama also told the crowd that Boxer opposed "don't ask don't tell" in the first place.
The full pool report of the event appears below:
POTUS took the stage at 6:13 p.m. local time. Audio again is not the greatest. He calls out names of several California government officials, each of whom draw applause.
At 6:17, several protesters among the crowd interrupted POTUS' speech, expressing anger over the slow progress on repealing the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gay service members. The crowd tried to hush them. "What about don't ask, don't tell?" one protester shouted.
POTUS yelled back "we are going to do that."
POTUS kept talking, increasing his volume to speak over the protesters. The crowd then erupted into chants of "Yes, we can."
He later said, "we are going to repeal don't ask, don't tell."
Your pooler has learned the protesters are from GetEQUAL, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group that also orchestrated protests outside the fundraiser. The group was also behind a protest last month at the White House, where activists Lt. Dan Choi and Capt. James Pietrangelo handcuffed themselves to a gate.
"IT's time for equality for all Americans!" another protester yelled at 9:22. Obama said, "can I just say again Barbara and I are supportive of repealing Don't ask dont tell." But protester keeps yelling. Bringing Obama's remarks to a halt. The crowd responds again by "shouting yes we can!" over the protesters.
"Be quiet!" someone yells.