Protester storms stage, seizes mic from Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris (VIDEO)

Democratic presidential candidate and US Senator Kamala Harris’s microphone was suddenly seized from her by a protester who stormed the stage during a talk, inciting a barrage of questions online about the event’s security.

Harris was speaking about her plans to lessen the gender pay gap at California's Democratic convention in San Francisco on Saturday. That was, until animal rights protester, Aidan Cook, 24, stormed the stage and grabbed hold of the microphone to bring attention to a “much bigger idea.”

Cook was dragged from the stage by a number of men before he could continue, including by audience members and the senator’s husband. However, outraged social media users questioned why the protester was able to gain access to the stage at all, let alone get in close proximity to Harris and remain there for a significant period of time.

Some called it a “frightening moment” and criticized the “failure” of security at the event, while others praised those who tackled the protester.

Presidential candidates in the US are entitled to Secret Service protection, though it’s not clear what security Harris had for the event. Previous violent incidents involving politicians were pointed out by several social media users in the wake of the confrontation, from the shooting of Gabby Giffords to Robert Kennedy.

Adding insult to injury, Cook was interviewed outside the event following his protest and claimed that organizers of the ‘Move On’ event were “cool about it.”

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