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 power on the island, even as residents continue struggling to rebuild basic power infrastructure and demonstrators 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 Gov. Pedro Pierluisi.   

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

'We expect that this Summer will be the Summer of solar, where we really see the quick implementation and installation of solar plus storage,' Granholm said. 

US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm (L) listens as Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a visit in Canovanas, Puerto Rico,

US Vice President Kamala Harris greets residents as she arrives for a visit at a private home in Canovanas, Puerto Rico

Harris commented that she visited with the mother of a multigenerational family living 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’re talking about energy and solar, that’s where the power is right there,' she said. 

Puerto Rico suffered catastrophic damage from the 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria as workers are still working on rebuilding the power grid. Residents on the island still experience rolling electricity blackouts. 

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

‘We are talking about people’s homes, not only in terms of a structure but the community and of course the island and what we all must understand should be a priority for restoring, not only the beauty but the infrastructure that then 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 an important recovery milestone. 

People take photos of a U.S. flag that was set fire during a protest against the visit of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris 

A demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against the visit of Vice President Kamala Harris to Puerto Rico

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

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

‘What we also know is a community and a society that is in an upward trajectory, when these types of climate disaster occur they don’t lose their grit, they don’t lose the ambition, they don’t lose the 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 'hurricane resistant' solar panels. 

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

US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm (2nd L), Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Adrianne Todman (R), and Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi (L) applaud after US Vice President Kamala Harris spoke

She acknowledged that power on the island had been 'intermittent' because of the storms but that solar panels would help replace 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 are doing it with a sense of urgency and optimism and inspiration because of families like the ones behind me,' she said. 

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