Police apologize, drop charge against Sheehan

[Neil D]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Capitol Police dropped a charge of unlawful conduct against anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan Wednesday and offered apologies to her as well as a congressman's wife after they were ejected from President Bush's State of the Union address for wearing T-shirts with war messages.

Captiol Police escort Sheehan from a House gallery before Tuesday's State of the Union address.

Alison Shelley, AP

Police removed Sheehan and Beverly Young, the wife of Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young, R-Fla., from the visitors gallery Tuesday night. Sheehan was taken away in handcuffs before Bush's arrival at the Capitol and charged with a misdemeanor, while Young was not arrested.

Capitol Police did not explain why Sheehan was arrested and Young was not. However the unlawful conduct charge against Sheehan was being dropped, according to Deputy House Sergeant of Arms Kerri Hanley. And in a private meeting Wednesday, Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer apologized and planned to issue a statement, Rep. Thomas told reporters.

"They were operating under the misguided impression that the T-shirt was not allowed," Hanley said Wednesday. "The fact that she (Sheehan) was wearing a T-shirt is not enough reason to be asked to leave the gallery, or be removed from the gallery, or be arrested."

A foreign-born American citizen who was the guest of Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., also was taken by police from the gallery just above the House floor, Hastings said Wednesday.

The congressman met with Gainer and said he also requested a meeting with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., about the incident.

"I'd like to find out more information," Hastings said in an interview, identifying the man only as being from Broward County in Florida. "He is a constituent of mine. I invited him proudly."

Sheehan's T-shirt made reference to the number of soldiers killed in Iraq: "2245 Dead. How many more?" Capitol Police charged her with a misdemeanor for violating the District of Columbia's code against unlawful or disruptive conduct on any part of the Capitol grounds, a law enforcement official said. She was released from custody and flew home Wednesday to Los Angeles.

Young's shirt had just the opposite message: "Support the Troops — Defending Our Freedom."

The two women appeared to have offended tradition as much as the law, according to several law enforcement and congressional officials. By custom, the annual address is to be a dignified affair in which the president reports on the state of the nation. Guests in the gallery who wear shirts deemed political in nature have, in past years, been asked to change or cover them up.

Generally, the House's sergeant at arms sets out rules at the House speaker's direction. The Capitol Police enforce them and the Secret Service evaluates any threat to the president.

Rules dealing mainly with what people can bring and telling them to refrain from reading, writing, smoking, eating, drinking, applauding or taking photographs are outlined on the back of gallery passes given to tourists every day.

However, State of the Union guests don't receive any guidelines, Hanley said. "You would assume that if you were coming to an event like the State of the Union address you would be dressed in appropriate attire," she said.

Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, had been invited to the speech and given a ticket by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif.

Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said police warned Sheehan that displays such as her T-shirt were not allowed.

Sheehan said she had one arm out of her coat when an officer yelled, "Protester." She said she intended to file a First Amendment lawsuit over the episode.

Young was removed from the gallery during Bush's address and told she was being treated the same as Sheehan.

Her husband was angry about the way she was treated.

"Because she had on a shirt that someone didn't like that said support our troops, she was kicked out of this gallery," Young said on the House floor Wednesday, holding up the gray shirt.

"Shame, shame," he scolded.

Mrs. Young was sitting about six rows from first lady Laura Bush when she was asked to leave. She argued with police in the hallway outside the House chamber.

"They said I was protesting," she told the St. Petersburg Times. "I said, 'Read my shirt, it is not a protest.' They said, 'We consider that a protest.' I said, 'Then you are an idiot.'"

[Neil D]

What Really Happened

By Cindy Sheehan

t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Wednesday 01 February 2006

As most of you have probably heard, I was arrested before the State of the Union address last night.

I am speechless with fury at what happened and with grief over what we have lost in our country.

There have been lies from the police and distortions by the press (shocker). So this is what really happened:

This afternoon at the People's State of the Union Address in DC, where I was joined by Congresspersons Lynn Woolsey and John Conyers, Ann Wright, Malik Rahim and John Cavanagh, Lynn brought me a ticket to the State of the Union address. At that time, I was wearing the shirt that said: 2245 Dead. How many more?

After the PSOTU press conference, I was having second thoughts about going to the SOTU at the Capitol. I didn't feel comfortable going. I knew George Bush would say things that would hurt me and anger me, and I knew that I couldn't disrupt the address because Lynn had given me the ticket, and I didn't want to be disruptive out of respect for her. I, in fact, had given the ticket to John Bruhns, who is in Iraq Veterans Against the War. However, Lynn's office had already called the media, and everyone knew I was going to be there, so I sucked it up and went.

I got the ticket back from John, and I met one of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's staffers in the Longworth Congressional Office building and we went to the Capitol via the underground tunnel. I went through security once, then had to use the rest room and went through security again.

My ticket was in the 5th gallery, front row, fourth seat in. The person who in a few minutes was to arrest me, helped me to my seat.

I had just sat down and I was warm from climbing 3 flights of stairs back up from the bathroom so I unzipped my jacket. I turned to the right to take my left arm out, when the same officer saw my shirt and yelled, "Protester." He then ran over to me, hauled me out of my seat, and roughly (with my hands behind my back) shoved me up the stairs. I said something like "I'm going, do you have to be so rough?" By the way, his name is Mike Weight.

The officer ran with me to the elevators, yelling at everyone to move out of the way. When we got to the elevators, he cuffed me and took me outside to await a squad car. On the way out, someone behind me said, "That's Cindy Sheehan." At which point the officer who arrested me said, "Take these steps slowly." I said, "You didn't care about being careful when you were dragging me up the other steps." He said, "That's because you were protesting." Wow, I got hauled out of the People's House because I was "Protesting."

I was never told that I couldn't wear that shirt into the Congress. I was never asked to take it off or zip my jacket back up. If I had been asked to do any of those things ... I would have, and written about the suppression of my freedom of speech later. I was immediately and roughly (I have the bruises and muscle spasms to prove it) hauled off and arrested for "unlawful conduct."

After I had my personal items inventoried and my fingers printed, a nice Sgt. came in and looked at my shirt and said, "2245, huh? I just got back from there."

I told him that my son died there. That's when the enormity of my loss hit me. I have lost my son. I have lost my First Amendment rights. I have lost the country that I love. Where did America go? I started crying in pain.

What did Casey die for? What did the 2244 other brave young Americans die for? What are tens of thousands of them over there in harm's way for still? For this? I can't even wear a shirt that has the number of troops on it that George Bush and his arrogant and ignorant policies are responsible for killing.

I wore the shirt to make a statement. The press knew I was going to be there, and I thought every once in awhile they would show me, and I would have the shirt on. I did not wear it to be disruptive, or I would have unzipped my jacket during George's speech. If I had any idea what happens to people who wear shirts that make the neocons uncomfortable, that I would be arrested ... maybe I would have, but I didn't.

There have already been many wild stories out there.

I have some lawyers looking into filing a First Amendment lawsuit against the government for what happened tonight. I will file it. It is time to take our freedoms and our country back.

I don't want to live in a country that prohibits any person, whether or not he/she has paid the ultimate price for that country, from wearing, saying, writing, or telephoning any negative statements about the government. That's why I am going to take my freedoms and liberties back. That's why I am not going to let BushCo take anything else away from me ... or you.

I am so appreciative of the couple of hundred of protesters who came to the jail while I was locked up to show their support. We have so much potential for good. There is so much good in so many people.

Four hours and 2 jails after I was arrested, I was let out. Again, I am so upset and sore it is hard to think straight.

Keep up the struggle ... I promise you, I will too.

[Dr. Shane]

Is this appropriate?

[Neil D]

I must have hit a nerve when I posted what else happened at the SOTU address.

At this rate, all I have to do is post what the middle of the road press is saying, and then what the Left is really saying... And you go off on the deep end...

And I haven't even begun to insult your political intelligence.

[Dr. Shane]

I have no idea what that means. I just think Cindy Sheehan has made herself into a joke. I didn't even read the posts in this thread

[Neil D]

Quote:

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I have no idea what that means. ..[snip]...I didn't even read the posts in this thread

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Figures....Same knee jerk reaction...Same refusal to actually read something....

As I have said-

Quote:

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And I haven't even begun to insult your political intelligence.

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[Nicodema]

Just ignore Shane. He knows he's being inappropriate. He'll have to answer to the Lord later about it; we need not make it worse for him.

Love ya Shane, my Brother ...

As for the incident itself, well OF COURSE they "apologized" and dropped the charges. They'd already accomplished their OBJECTIVE which was to prevent her from being present in that room wearing that shirt. Now they have to do their PR/damage-control dance so that the cheerleaders for these Beast-rehearsal thugs can criticize anyone yelling "Police State!" in protest and call them a bunch of whinybabies or whatever. It's all just standard M.O. for this bunch. Why do we expect any different? This IS the New World Order ... and it's only going to get worse.

Look up! Redemption draweth nigh!

[Bravus]

Freedom of speech, but watch what you say

[Nicodema]

Quote:

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Bravus said:

Freedom of speech, but watch what you say

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We need to get Stan to put a different color in for URLs. I didn't even realize this was one till I hit the "quote" button to reply! I was simply going to say, "Right on Brother Orwell!" LOL.

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

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They'd already accomplished their OBJECTIVE which was to prevent her from being present in that room wearing that shirt.

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I think it is just silly House rules. A congressman's wife was also removed for wearing a "Support The Troops" t-shirt. I don't see any conspiracy to silent anyone's voice.

[Nicodema]

Maybe you're right, Shane. Maybe it was just "silly House rules." But it doesn't excuse the manner in which this was handled. A simple, "Ma'am, we cannot permit you to remain in here unless you change or cover up that shirt" followed by a simple removal if she refused, would have sufficed. She did not resist them and she did nothing to prompt an arrest.

[Dr. Shane]

The capital police have also appoligized to the Congressman's wife. Apparently they misinterpretted the House rules. There is a little speculation. They appoligized to the Congressman's wife because her husband raised such a sink about it. It may have been because of him, the Republican Congressman, that no charges were pressed on Sheehan, since both his wife and Sheehan were alledged to have broken the same law and the police were not about to charge the Congressman's wife with a crime.

[cricket]

I wouldn't have known about this at all if they hadn't made such a stink over it.

[Neil D]

Quote:

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Cricket said:

I wouldn't have known about this at all if they hadn't made such a stink over it.

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And would you have heard it at all, if I hadn't put it up here?