Texas Rep. Al Green speaks out after being removed for sign protesting Trump’s ‘racist’ apes post

Al Green’s removal from the State of the Union was not a spontaneous reaction but a deliberate protest. He described his action as a response to what he called “invidious discrimination.”

By raising a sign that read “Black People Aren’t Apes,” Green directly confronted a racist post about the Obamas, ensuring the issue could not be ignored in the chamber. He brought the controversy into the same space as the president.

Rather than allowing the remark to disappear in the fast-moving news cycle, Green sought to demand acknowledgment. He later said he wanted the president to see that at least one Black lawmaker would not silently endure the insult.

His act was intended as a visible and personal stand. It was less about spectacle and more about forcing accountability in a highly public setting.

Green acknowledged that repercussions were inevitable. For him, protest carries meaning only when a person is prepared to face removal, censure, or criticism.

As some Republicans pursue a second censure, the debate has shifted toward questions of decorum and discipline within Congress. Yet Green frames the issue differently.

He argues that certain language and rhetoric must be challenged openly, regardless of political cost. Even if it means standing alone, he maintains that confronting injustice is worth the consequences.