The Capitol Police in Washington, D.C. stopped a choir of children from singing the National Anthem. David Rasbach, the founder and director of the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir, told the Daily Signal that a female Capitol officer instructed a congressional staffer to immediately stop the singing as they started the fourth verse. Rasbach said he was “shocked, dismayed, and stunned” that the Capitol Police would stop the children from singing especially the National Anthem. The Capitol Police say that singing in the Capitol is prohibited as it is deemed a “demonstration” and demonstrations are banned in the Capitol.
There is just one problem with the explanation from the Capitol Police. The Rushingbrook Children’s Choir had permission to sing at the Capitol. The choir is from South Carolina and they obtained the permission of two House Reps from S.C., namely William Timmons and Joe Wilson who are both Republican. They also received permission from Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy. The Capitol Police said that the group lied about having permission from these individuals. Wilson, Timmons, McCarthy, and also Republican S.C. House Rep. Russell Fry wrote The Daily Signal an emailed letter to further support the choir and debunk the statement from Capitol Police:
We recently learned that schoolchildren from South Carolina were interrupted while singing our National Anthem at the Capitol. These children were welcomed by the Speaker’s Office to joyfully express their love of this nation while visiting the Capitol, and we are all very disappointed to learn their celebration was cut short. We are delighted that the People’s House has been reopened particularly for our children and we look forward to welcoming more Americans back to the halls of Congress.
SOURCES:
Children’s Choir Director Says Capitol Police Stopped Performance
