Originally published February 23 2006
Capitol police apologize to Sheehan for her arrest
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer issued a public apology to Cindy Sheehan and the wife of Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young, R-Fla., for their removal from the State of the Union address.
Capitol Police dropped a charge of unlawful conduct against anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan on Wednesday and apologized for ejecting her and a congressman's wife from President Bush's State of the Union address for wearing T-shirts with war messages.
"The officers made a good faith, but mistaken effort to enforce an old unwritten interpretation of the prohibitions about demonstrating in the Capitol," Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer said in a statement late Wednesday.
"The policy and procedures were too vague," he added.
"The failure to adequately prepare the officers is mine."
Sheehan was taken away in handcuffs before Bush's arrival at the Capitol and charged with a misdemeanor, while Young left the gallery and therefore was not arrested, Gainer said.
For his part, Bill Young said he was not necessarily satisfied.
"My wife was humiliated," he told reporters.
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 House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R- Ill., about the incident.
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 if not the law, according to several law enforcement and congressional officials.
Guests in the gallery who wear shirts deemed political in nature have, in past years, been asked to change or cover them up.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml