Capitol police escorted the father of a slain US Marine from Southern California out of the State of the Union address after interrupting President Joe Biden's speech on Thursday.
Steven Nikoui, 51, shouted, "remember Abbey Gate," before the United States Capitol Police escorted him out of the chamber. He was arrested for a misdemeanor. People who illegally demonstrate or disrupt a session of Congress typically receive a $50 fine and are released after payment.
Abbey Gate was the site of the 2021 terrorist attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. The blast killed 170 civilians and 13 US service members, including Nikoui's son, Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui.
Florida Congressman Brian Mast invited the 51-year-old to the State of the Union. In a blog post on his Congressional website, Mast said he invited Steve to remind Biden about the "damage he has done to national security and American families."
"I am honored to have Steve Nikoui as my guest to #SOTU," Mast tweeted.
"He is the father of LCpl. Kareem Nikoui, who was KIA due to Biden's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan."
After Nikoui's outbursts, Mast tweeted his support of the Gold Star father.
"For the last three SOTU speeches, Joe Biden REFUSED to say the names of the 13 U.S.
service members who were killed by his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal," the congressman tweeted.
In Norco, residents honored Lance Corporal Nikoui and the 12 slain service members with a permanent memorial.
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