HOUSTON — Congressman Al Green says he was harassed by people identifying themselves as Trump supporters on the way home from Washington.
The Houston Democrat said issues started at the airport in D.C.
“Upon getting on the plane, someone recognized me,” said Rep Green. “At some point, someone said ‘Mr. Impeachment is on the plane.’”
The Congressman said he heard another voice behind him.
“Someone said, ‘something’s gonna happen.’”
A video posted to Twitter shows several people yelling at the Houston Democrat as he exits the flight in Tennessee to change planes.
On the 21-second clip, voices can be heard saying “four more years," “you’re a disgrace to this country," “you’re a dirtbag,” and “you’re a traitor."
Rep. Green said people made comments accusing him of not honoring the Constitution, the President’s freedom of speech, and about how people were being denied their rights.
“The people became very rambunctious in the airport,” said Rep. Green. “They started closing in, and the young man who was helping me had to take me into a room off to the side and call police, call for some security.”
He later added, “Literally I had to be escorted some 50 feet, maybe, by two peace officers and a Southwest employee.”
Rep. Green said the group helped him get on the flight and had a pilot sitting next to him.
The congressman said problems started again when he was about to deplane at Hobby Airport in Houston
“Fortunately, I had HPD officers to meet me,” he said. “I’m not sure how it would have ended but for having police officers to assist me.”
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney was also confronted at the Salt Lake City airport and heckled while flying to D.C. on Tuesday.
Rep. Green says everyone has the right to free speech but believes protests in airports could lead to violence and disrupt travel and commerce.
He worries protests on planes could be especially dangerous.
“You can’t protest in a courtroom, you can’t yell fire in a theater, and you ought not be able to protest in an airplane 35,000 feet in the air because you don’t know what the protest will lead to,” he said.
It’s an issue the congressman says he’ll raise once he flies back to Capitol Hill.