Lawmakers are criticizing Capitol police for interrupting children singing in the U.S. Capitol building, preventing them from finishing a performance of the National Anthem.
On Friday, May 26, the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir from Greenville, South Carolina, was told to stop singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” because a police officer deemed the performance a “demonstration.”
Although the officer denied that the choir was allowed to sing in the Capitol building, the group reportedly had been granted permission, with the help of state representatives and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, to perform a small repertoire of patriotic songs.
In a 26 second clip circulating on Twitter, the choir’s director and founder, David Rasbach, can be seen conducting a small group of children beautifully singing the National Anthem. A female police officer in the background speaks to one of the choir’s guides, who then approaches Rasbach and tells him that, per police instructions, the choir must stop singing. Rasbach then stops the performance, looking as confused as the children.