As the supreme court heard oral arguments for the pivotal civil rights case about same-sex marriage on Tuesday, one voice shouted above the nine justices to express his opposition to such unions.
The man’s comments were so loud that they were largely incomprehensible, but included the statement: “The Bible teaches that if you support gay marriage you will burn in hell for eternity.”
Conservative justice Antonin Scalia joked that it was “rather refreshing, actually”.
The ABC News chief White House correspondent, Jonathan Karl, said it was “excruciatingly loud”.
Karl said that the man was removed by five supreme court security officers, continuing to voice his opposition as he was escorted out of the building.
Protester inside the Supreme Court today. During oral arguments he screamed about homosexuality, damnation and hell. Excruciatingly loud.1/3
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) April 28, 2015
The protester can be heard in audio from the oral argument, though his shouts are so loud that they are incomprehensible. The justices agree to give the counsel “a moment”, then Scalia makes his joke, earning laughter from the courtroom.
The man was moved from the courtroom within 15 seconds, though his shouting can be heard echoing in the halls afterward.
It is unclear who the man was or how he obtained one of the limited seats in the courtroom. People began lining up last week to get one of the seats, while others paid to have someone wait in line for them.
Attorney Tejinder Singh, writing for Scotusblog, was skeptical that this could have any effect on the justices’ ruling. “I’ll put it this way: I can’t imagine any of the justices who favor same sex marriage being dissuaded by the gentleman’s suggestion that they will burn in hell,” said Singh.
- Additional reporting by Dan Roberts in Washington
