“We were hopeful because Vice-President Harris’s team was engaging with us,” Mr Alawieh told reporters.
The uncommitted delegates were selected in state Democratic primaries earlier this year – part of an internal party protest against US support for Israel.
Mr Alawieh said it was “unacceptable” that their request for a speaking slot was turned down.
After they announced that their request had been rejected, Mr Alawieh and three other uncommitted delegates began a sit-in outside the arena.
The delegates also said that they had collected signatures from nearly 250 Harris delegates supporting a ceasefire in Gaza.
The war in the Middle East has been the main focus of a series of protests outside the Democratic convention this week.
A group of pro-Palestinian Democrats said their request for a speaking slot at this week’s Democratic National Convention has been denied by party leaders.
The “uncommitted” delegates were hoping as late as Wednesday evening that a Palestinian-American politician would be allowed to speak critically about Israel’s war in Gaza.
Uncommitted delegate from Michigan Abbas Alawieh broke the news outside the United Center, where the convention ends on Thursday, with tears in his eyes.
Vice-President Harris’s team was interacting with us, so we felt hopeful, Mr. Alawieh told reporters. To be heard is all we ask for. “. .
The party’s internal protest against US support for Israel led to the selection of the uncommitted delegates during state Democratic primaries earlier this year.
The majority of primary voters chose President Joe Biden, but in several states, pro-Palestinian activists encouraged voters to cast “uncommitted” ballots or choose other similar options.
Voters’ outrage over Biden’s Israel policy is tested in Michigan.
For a total of more than 2,400 delegates, enough Democratic voters cast ballots in favor to send 30 delegates to the convention in Chicago.
Mr. Alawieh declared that the denial of their request for a speaking opportunity was “unacceptable.”.
By November, he declared, “We’re not going anywhere.”. “You won’t be able to eliminate us. We’re going to activate the mechanism. “.
Mr. Alawieh and three other uncommitted delegates started a sit-in outside the arena after they declared their request had been denied.
The delegates added that they had gathered signatures in favor of a ceasefire in Gaza from close to 250 Harris delegates.
This week, there have been several demonstrations outside the Democratic convention with the primary focus being the Middle East war.
Despite a lower turnout than anticipated, several thousand protestors marched past the United Center on Monday.
A smaller demonstration outside the Israeli consulate in Chicago on Tuesday resulted in altercations between demonstrators and police that led to 56 arrests.
On Thursday night, there will be another march outside the convention center.
Palestine has the largest community in the nation in Cook County, which includes Chicago.
Party leaders have reportedly rejected a group of Democratic activists who support Palestine’s request for a speaking position during this week’s Democratic National Convention.
Even on Wednesday evening, the “uncommitted” delegates were still holding out hope that a politician who is American-Palestinian would be permitted to give a critical speech regarding Israel’s war in Gaza.
However, the Uncommitted National Movement’s spokesman claimed that their request was denied.
The BBC requested a statement from Kamala Harris’s campaign.
