Black Lives Matter open to protesting Obama

Black Lives Matter officials say the first black U.S. president is not above reproach or protest as the group seeks to draw attention to violence and racism against African-Americans.

“No one is sort of hands-off Obama,” co-founder Patrisse Cullors told Politico in an interview published Thursday.

Cullors said President Obama could "divest from law enforcement and reinvest into poor communities, specifically black communities, and he still hasn’t really taken a stand around those issues — not a strong stand.”

Black Lives Matter has recently sought to draw attention to its movement by interrupting speeches and rallies held by high-profile politicians.

“This is a public display of the agony and anguish black people feel on a daily basis, and many of you don’t have to see it or deal with it or go home to it, so we’re going to bring it to you,” Cullors explained.

The group recently stormed the stage during a rally for Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersBiden economic team faces challenge in delivering help to Black communities On The Money: Unemployment gains lower than expected | Jobs report lights fire under coronavirus relief talks Sanders says he can't support bipartisan COVID-19 relief proposal in its current form MORE (I-Vt.), refusing to allow the Democratic primary candidate to speak.

Several Black Lives Matters activists planned to protest a Hillary Clinton event in New Hampshire on Tuesday, but were barred from the rally and taken to an overflow room to meet with Clinton afterward.

Activists from the movement also briefly took control of a forum attended by Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley last month.