Protesters in Puerto Rico burn American flags as Kamala Harris arrives to tout ‘smarter’ solar panels: Demonstrators wanting island to be a state and demanding a Gaza ceasefire says VP is ‘not welcome here’

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Puerto Rico on Friday to promote more solar energy on the island, even as residents continue to struggle to rebuild basic energy infrastructure and demonstrators took to the streets to protest her visit.

The vice president visited a family home in San Juan with Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Adrianne Todman and Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi.

Harris and Granholm promoted the implementation of electric solar panels on the roofs of area homes.

“We expect this summer to be the summer of solar where we really see the rapid deployment and installation of solar plus storage,” Granholm said.

Harris noted that she was visiting the mother of a multi-generational family living in the house.

“I was able to spend some time with her and like all matriarchs of the families, we know where the power base is. We are talking about energy and solar energy, that is where the power lies,” she said.

Puerto Rico suffered catastrophic damage from 2017’s Hurricanes Irma and Maria, while workers are still rebuilding its power grid. Residents of the island are still experiencing rolling power outages.

Harris spoke about the importance of rooftop solar panels that provide power to homes that lack electricity.

‘We are talking about people’s homes, not just in terms of a structure, but also the community and of course the island, and what we all need to understand should be a priority in restoring not only the beauty but also the infrastructure that does so much good and important work,” she said during her speech.

The home Harris visited had a Puerto Rico flag draped from the roof as she celebrated the green energy initiative as a major recovery milestone.

Crowds were kept away from the event to prevent protesters from interrupting her remarks as he shared brief comments with the press.

She commended the Puerto Rico community for continuing to rebuild after the devastating effects of two hurricanes and damaging earthquakes in 2019 and 2020.

“What we also know is a community and a society that is on an upward trajectory: when these kinds of climate disasters happen, they don’t lose their nerve, they don’t lose the ambition, they don’t lose the momentum,” she said.

Harris said that while solar panels had been part of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure before the storms, the major hurricanes made leaders realize the importance of creating “hurricane-proof” solar panels.

“The innovation that has happened is also about upgrading the technology, knowing how it has affected an island like Puerto Rico and being smarter,” she said. “Puerto Rico has learned lessons in that regard.”

She acknowledged that power on the island was “intermittent” due to the storms, but that solar panels would help meet their power needs and heat water without electricity.

‘I see that we are making a difference, there is still more work to do, we are ambitious, yes we are impatient, we know what is possible and we do it with a sense of urgency, optimism and inspiration from families like the ones behind me ,’ she said.

Protesters also took to the streets before Harris arrived, demanding statehood for the island territory and a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Gaza. Protesters waved Puerto Rico and Gaza flags while holding signs protesting her visit and even burned American flags.