BOISE, Idaho — In the second day of the Idaho legislature's special session, several Idaho State Police troopers removed a man from one of the auditoriums at the Idaho Statehouse after the man allegedly refused to not sit in an area for journalists.
The incident happened at about 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Lincoln Auditorium inside the Idaho Statehouse. A committee was scheduled to meet but before the meeting began, two people told others that they were journalists and tried to sit in an area designated for Capitol Correspondents.
Mellisa Davlin is on a standing committee for the Capitol Correspondents and explained in a tweet that "While anyone can say they are reporters, credentials allow members to access certain areas, such as the press room, press tables, and the H(ouse) & S(enate) floors."
According to KTVB's Joe Parris, who was in the Lincoln Auditorium when the incident happened, Idaho State Troopers spoke with the man and another person about where they were sitting, the people got up and left, then tried to sit back down in the press area when the committee started.
Committee Chairperson Rep. Greg Chaney asked the man to move when it began and the man refused to move. ISP Troopers then tried to make the man leave, but had to escort the man out of the packed room. He was then seen being handcuffed by ISP troopers.
The man, later identified by Idaho State Police as 33-year-old Bryan Bowermaster of Boise, was cited for trespassing.
An ISP spokesperson said in a statement, "The man was requested by Idaho State Police Troopers to leave the area. He refused. Troopers removed the 33-year-old Boise man from the hearing room."
Later in the day, Ammon Bundy, who led the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and two others were taken into custody by Idaho State Police after, troopers said, they refused to leave an empty room at the Statehouse.
The meeting was on for testimony on the COVID-19 Limited Liability Act for the House Judiciary Rules and Administration Committee. The testimony was scheduled to last an hour and meant for any testimonies that were signed up to speak on Monday but were not able to.
The special session was prompted by state Republicans wanting to address Gov. Brad Little's handing of the coronavirus pandemic and began on Monday, with multiple bills making their way through committees.
The statehouse was also a chaotic scene on Monday, as large crowds made their way through the statehouse to reach the House gallery, shouting "let us in, let us in." The protesters shattered a glass door and shoved ISP troopers as they attempted to force their way into the room.
On Tuesday morning, lawmakers voted to advance a resolution that would end Gov. Little's statewide emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic, but it would also strip Idaho of its eligibility for some federal emergency aid money.
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