US President Donald Trump was heckled by protestors shouting “Honor her wish”  as he paid his respects to Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Supreme Court on Thursday, invoking the liberal justice’s deathbed plea not to be replaced until after the November election, reported AFP.

Protestors could be heard shouting “Honor her wish!” and “Vote him out!” from the street below as Trump did not appear to acknowledge the protesters while standing behind Ginsburg’s flag-draped casket on the steps of the court with First Lady Melania Trump.

Later at the White House, Trump told reporters that he and the first lady “could hardly hear it from where we were”. However, his spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany condemned the heckling and said, “The chants were appalling but certainly to be expected when you are in the heart of the swamp. I thought it was an appalling and disrespectful thing to do as the president honored justice Ginsburg.” 

Trump’s visit to the Supreme Court to pay his respects to Ginsburg is a rare tribute by the Republican president as he  is not accustomed to honoring political opponents. 

According to National Public Radio, Ginsburg, during her final days, told her granddaughter, Clara Spera, that her “most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Despite the plea, Trump is pushing ahead with plans to replace the feminist icon on the court ahead of the presidential election. 

Trump has pledged to nominate a woman to fill Ginsburg’s seat and the White House has been vetting candidates for confirmation by the Republican-controlled Senate. Democrats are demanding that the process of replacing Ginsburg wait until after the election, when it will be known whether Trump will serve a second term, but he has said that the post must be filled, in case the election is contested and ends up before the high court.

He told AFP, “I think this will end up in the Supreme Court. And I think it’s important we have nine justices.”