Capitol Hill police are under fire after a video surfaced online of an officer confronting a group of protesters and addressing them in a derogatory manner. A number of immigration reform advocates - including young children - were standing outside the office of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), urging him to bring congress to a vote on immigration reform. They were singing "We pray for Speaker Boehner, we pray for Speaker Boehner..." to the tune of "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" when Capitol Police Officer confronted the group.
In the video posted by KFTStories, the Officer can be seen approaching the group of protesters. "We're not going to have singing in my building," he says . "We're not going to have it. Warning number one, okay? That's all you get. This is getting old real fast, okay? I'm not going to tolerate it. This is a place of business, and we do not sing in the hallway." Before walking away he raises his voice and says "Comprende?" That last remark has got advocates furious with the implication that the protesters couldn't speak spanish, despite the fact that they were clearly singin in English.
Following the officer's remarks, the group can be seen to be taken aback and silenced, on replying "We've got it sir." Social media, however, has not been so timid. Advocates on Twitter have been furiously discussing the implications of the comments. Meanwhile, Capitol Police public information officer Kimberly Schneider responded to the incident with the following statement:
"We are aware of the incident posted online concerning an unlawful demonstration today on U.S. Capitol Grounds. The Department is reviewing the incident and wants to assure the public that the U.S. Capitol Police welcomes daily all people to visit and lawfully express their First Amendment rights. Further, it is the mission of the U.S. Capitol Police and the basic training of our employees to treat all who visit the U.S. Capitol Grounds with dignity and respect."
There has also been some criticism of the advocates themselves for allowing children to protest. However, advocacy groups argue that it gives children to a chance to voice how immigration concerns affect their lives. 11-year-old Esteban Verdugo is quoted telling his story to Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Colo): "The holidays are really hard for me since my dad was deported in June," he said. "I'm scared that my stepdad could be next. It's Christmas time and while most families are together, immigrant families like mine continue to be separated. We need to pass immigration reform now."
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