SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The chair of the California Democratic Party, Rusty Hicks, has pledged to hold members accountable for their involvement in a raucous pro-Palestinian demonstration that caused the party's convention in Sacramento to come to an early halt.

Chair Hicks made the statement on Sunday, addressing party members gathered at the convention. He declared, "Any delegates who actively participated in or aided the furtherance of those activities or events in violation of our party's code of conduct will be held accountable."

The protest, demanding a cease-fire in Gaza, overwhelmed security guards and flooded into the convention center on Saturday evening, forcing the cancellation of planned caucuses. Earlier in the day, demonstrators disrupted a forum for U.S. Senate candidates.

Chair Hicks did not provide specific details about the potential punishments, but the party's code of conduct stipulates that violators could be barred from attending future events or stripped of their delegate status.

Expressing his disappointment and sadness over the disruptions, Chair Hicks revealed that two security guards sustained minor injuries, and Jewish attendees were openly intimidated and harassed.

"Every delegate, volunteer, staff person, and attendee has the right to be safe and to feel safe in the peaceful expression of their own voice and viewpoint," Hicks asserted.

The conflict in Gaza has been an ongoing issue at the convention, highlighting a divide between progressives demanding a cease-fire and pro-Israel Democrats who have not taken a clear stance on the matter.

None of the candidates running for the open U.S. Senate seat received the party's endorsement, which requires a 60 percent vote. Rep. Barbara Lee, the only House Democrat in the race who supported a cease-fire, garnered a plurality, narrowly surpassing Rep. Adam Schiff.

Several delegates at the convention held signs calling for a cease-fire and showed support for Barbara Lee. Activists advocating for an end to hostilities considered it a moral imperative and warned that they would withhold their votes from Democrats who did not align with their position.

The disturbances on Saturday also faced criticism from Jewish party members who took note of protesters chanting "from the river to the sea," a Palestinian liberation slogan that can be interpreted as a call to dismantle the state of Israel. In addition, some demonstrators chanted "intifada, intifada."

In response, the California Legislative Jewish Caucus issued a statement expressing concern that some Jewish delegates now feel unsafe participating in party activities. The caucus fully supported the right to protest but condemned storming through security and disrupting the democratic process, especially with chants that seemingly endorsed the Hamas attack and called for Israel's destruction.

Moving forward, the California Democratic Party will investigate the incident and determine appropriate consequences for those who violated the party's code of conduct. Chair Hicks emphasized the importance of maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all party members, acknowledging the right to protest but denouncing actions that impede democratic processes.