‘The answer is no': Pro-Palestinian delegates say their request for a speaker at DNC was shut down

▶ Follow the AP’s live coverageand analysis from the2024 Democratic National Convention.

CHICAGO (AP) — Leaders of an “Uncommitted” movement, which garnered hundreds of thousands of votes in Democratic primaries across the nation in protest of the Israel-Hamas war, have been negotiating for weeks to secure a speaking slot for a Palestinian American at the Democratic National Convention this week.

The negotiations stalled late Wednesday when leaders with the Uncommitted National Movement say a Democratic National Committee official called and delivered a firm response: “The answer is no.”

The leader, Abbas Alawieh, an “Uncommitted” delegate to the convention and co-founder of the movement, described the call as shocking after weeks of talks that he felt were positive. In response, he and other delegates decided to stage a sit-in outside Chicago’s United Center, where the convention is being held. They spent the night on the sidewalk on Wednesday, and vowed to remain until their request was granted or the convention ended Thursday night.

“When we ran out of options — doing everything we can and working from the inside, when we ran out of options as uncommitted delegates, we just sat down,” Alawieh said in an interview Thursday.

It’s the fourth and final day of the DNC. Here’s what to know:

• Catch up on Night 3: The DNC barreled into its third day with a lineup headlined by former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The final speaker was Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, introducing himself as Harris’ running mate. Here are thetakeaways.
• What to watch today: Vice President Kamala Harris will accept her party’s nomination during a speech in which she is widely expected to offer her vision and policy agenda to