Al Green escorted out of House chamber during Trump speech after protest sign
Texas Democrat al green was removed almost immediately from the House chamber during the president’s State of the Union address after carrying a sign reading “Black people aren’t apes!” His ejection came as many Democrats sat solemnly or left early while Republicans repeatedly rose to applaud the president.
Al Green held sign referencing racist depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama
Green lingered in the center aisle holding a sign that referenced the president sharing a racist video depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama, then continued to hold it as he was escorted from the chamber. The protest was silent and pointed, a contrast with last year when he was ordered out by House speaker Mike Johnson for yelling responses during the speech. Green clutched both his walking stick and the protest sign as he left.
Attempts by Republicans to block or seize the sign, and confrontations with Nehls and Mullin
Multiple Republican representatives tried to grab at the sign or block it from being viewed by cameras as Green was escorted away. Representative Troy Nehls, a fellow Texan, could be seen aggressively engaging with Green just before a staffer took him to the door. Senator Markwayne Mullin also approached Green menacingly. As he walked out there were acrimonious exchanges with Republicans, and a few began chanting "USA! USA!"
Seat left empty with a handwritten cardboard sign reading “Al Green”
After Green’s removal, his seat remained empty and a handwritten cardboard placard saying "Al Green" sat in its place. Outside the chamber, Green told reporters his removal was "of no consequence, " still holding his sign for cameras. He said nothing would prevent him from doing what he believed was righteous and added, "You have to take a stand. I am just a person who has done it – but there are many others, I believe, who would. "
Green’s record: early impeachment calls and civil rights advocacy
Green has been among the president’s most vocal critics and was the first member of Congress to call for his impeachment as early as 2017. He represents a predominantly African American district and has a long record of fighting for civil rights, factors he referenced in continuing his protest despite being removed from the chamber for a second consecutive year.
Wider Democratic protest and lawmakers who left early
Democrats spent much of the speech sitting solemnly while Republicans leapt to their feet to clap at the end of nearly every sentence. Several Democrats walked out early. Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, posted on a social network that he "couldn't sit through an hour of Trump's lies" and left while the president inflated his economic achievements. Representative Bill Foster from Illinois shared on social media that he gave himself "5 bald-faced lies"—the same as last year—before he left, writing, "Less than one hour into his speech, I'm out. "
Tlaib and Omar shouted back at the president over killings and accountability
As the president spoke about immigration enforcement to a standing ovation from Republicans and rebuked Democrats for not joining his call to fund the Department of Homeland Security, Representative Rashida Tlaib—wearing a pin that read "release the files"—could be heard yelling about the killing of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse shot to death by federal agents: "They saw the videos, Mr President. They saw the videos. " Representative Ilhan Omar shouted, "You should be ashamed, " and repeatedly yelled, "you have killed Americans, " in response to the president’s remarks.
