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| Michelle Obama's speech interrupted by gay protester | Michelle Obama's speech interrupted by gay protester |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A speech by US First Lady Michelle Obama at a fundraising event has been briefly interrupted by a protester demanding equal rights for gays. | A speech by US First Lady Michelle Obama at a fundraising event has been briefly interrupted by a protester demanding equal rights for gays. |
| Mrs Obama was speaking in Washington when a woman in the crowd started shouting, demanding an executive order on gay and lesbian rights. | Mrs Obama was speaking in Washington when a woman in the crowd started shouting, demanding an executive order on gay and lesbian rights. |
| Mrs Obama then approached the woman and said: "Listen to me or you can take the mic, but I'm leaving." | Mrs Obama then approached the woman and said: "Listen to me or you can take the mic, but I'm leaving." |
| The crowd urged Mrs Obama to stay, and the woman was then escorted out. | The crowd urged Mrs Obama to stay, and the woman was then escorted out. |
| The protester at the Democratic National Committee fundraiser on Tuesday evening was later identified as Ellen Sturtz, a member of the GetEQUAL gay rights group. | |
| In an interview with The Huffington Post, the 56-year-old said: "I was asked by the First Lady to be quiet, and I can't be quiet any longer. | In an interview with The Huffington Post, the 56-year-old said: "I was asked by the First Lady to be quiet, and I can't be quiet any longer. |
| "I was surprised by how negative the crowd seemed to be. It was actually a little unsettling and disturbing." | "I was surprised by how negative the crowd seemed to be. It was actually a little unsettling and disturbing." |
| She said gay activists had been asking President Obama to sign the executive order for five years. "How much longer do we need to wait?" | She said gay activists had been asking President Obama to sign the executive order for five years. "How much longer do we need to wait?" |
| Last year, Mr Obama publicly voiced his support for gay marriage, but is refusing to issue his executive order on the issue dividing Americans. | Last year, Mr Obama publicly voiced his support for gay marriage, but is refusing to issue his executive order on the issue dividing Americans. |