Evacuating the Capitol
Kucinich shared this account on his website:
I was standing on the floor of the House, speaking with Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii about legislation we are about to introduce to get the US out of Iraq when a great commotion occurred inside the chamber. "Get down, get down!" someone shouted. A rumor of explosives in the House Gallery. Members crouched behind benches. The Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, was standing just a few steps away. He was immediately surrounded by a number of security personnel who whisked him off the floor. Members then ran from the floor, down the stairs and out the side entrances, joining thousands of tourists, running down the streets away from the Capitol. It was a scene reminiscent of 911 which occurred exactly forty-four months ago, except for a fighter jet which soared above. I Iearned from police and other members that a Code Red had been declared. The first one. It meant there was an imminent danger, from the air? Rumors of a plane invading Capitol airspace. But then...
No more jets. The skies were quiet, but sirens screamed, limousines carrying foreign leaders sped away, capitol police waved their machine guns as they barked instructions to the crowds to move away from the Capitol. Thousands streamed away and then, just as quickly, they streamed back toward the Capitol as an "all clear" was announced.
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