Protesters in Puerto Rico burn US flags as Kamala Harris arrives to tout ‘smarter’ solar panels: Protesters who want the island to be a state and demand a ceasefire in Gaza say the VP is ‘not welcome here’

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

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

Harris and Granholm promoted the implementation of rooftop electric solar panel systems in homes in the area.

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

Harris commented that she was visiting the mother of a multigenerational family that lives in the home.

“I was able to spend some time with her and like all the matriarchs of the families, we know where the power base is, we talk about energy and solar energy, that’s where the power is right there,” she said.

Puerto Rico suffered catastrophic damage from 2017 hurricanes Irma and Maria as workers are still working to rebuild the power grid. Residents on the island are still experiencing rolling blackouts.

Harris spoke about the importance of rooftop solar panels providing power to homes suffering from a lack of electricity.

‘We’re talking about people’s homes, not just in terms of a structure, but the community and of course the island and what we all need to understand should be a priority to restore, not only the beauty, but also the infrastructure that houses 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 remarks with the press.

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

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

Harris said that while solar panels existed as part of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure before the storms, the punishing hurricanes made leaders realize the importance of making solar panels “hurricane resistant.”

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

She acknowledged that power on the island had been ‘intermittent’ due to the storms, but that solar panels would help replace their power needs and heat water without electricity.

‘I can see 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 and optimism and inspiration due to families such as those behind me, she said.

Protesters also took to the streets ahead of Harris’ arrival, demanding statehood for the island territory and a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Gaza. Demonstrators waved the flags of Puerto Rico and Gaza while holding signs protesting her visit and even set American flags on fire.