Yemeni Activists Protest Against Saudi Crown Prince In East Palo Alto

EAST PALO ALTO (KPIX 5) -- The crown prince of Saudi Arabia came in the Bay Area Thursday only to be confronted by something he doesn't often see back home: a crowd of angry protesters.

Protesters let loose a loud round of booing the moment they thought the crown prince arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel in Palo Alto.

A cluster of three Mercedes limousines supposedly bearing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman slipped into Four Seasons unannounced, capping off several hours of rage, frustration and public shaming from Yemenis all over the Bay Area outside the hotel.

The protesters shouted "erhabi," which means "terrorist" in Arabic.

For more than four hours, bin Salman's large entourage was heckled as they drove past in various limos and shuttlebuses.

Bin Salman has reportedly rented out the entire Four Seasons for the week amid tight security that has locked down the hotel as he meets with Apple, Google's parent company Alphabet and venture capitalists from around Silicon Valley.

For three years, Saudi Arabia has intervened in neighboring Yemen's civil war, bombing and deploying troops in hopes of defeating Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Amnesty international says that since 2015, more than 15,000 civilians have been killed or injured and millions more forced to flee the violence.

Adam Harazi lost three cousins in a single missile strike.

As he was out protesting, news broke that President Trump had authorized the sale of $1.5 billion in artillery to the Saudis.

"I feel so bad right now. I know that's going to cause a lot of death, a lot of people get killed," said Harazi. "I don't think the American people will accept that. I think we should, all of us, gather and say for Trump, stop this deal."

One protester told KPIX 5 that the group would be outside the Four Seasons Hotel as long as the prince is staying there. The hotel has been booked through Saturday.