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A gay journalist says he was briefly detained by security staff after booing Donald Trump during the opening night of Chicago at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on March 31.

According to reporting from the Washington Blade, journalist Eugene Ramirez alleged he was escorted away by security after expressing dissent when Trump and Melania Trump appeared in the theatre鈥檚 balcony.

Ramierz says he was detained briefly before being allowed to return to his seat.

Gay journalist Eugene Ramirez detained for expressing “dissent”

鈥淚 accompanied five friends to opening night of 鈥楥hicago鈥�, as a way to enjoy a final performance in the Kennedy Center as we know it,鈥�

The confrontation occurred just before the performance began, when Trump and the First Lady appeared in the balcony. While some audience members applauded, Ramirez booed and gave a thumbs down gesture towards the couple.

鈥淲ithin moments, the director [of security] and another guard approached and escorted me to a side area where several other security guards were waiting,鈥� he explained.

鈥淚 was detained until everyone was seated and the lights dimmed.鈥�

Ramirez, and news anchor, said the experience raised broader concerns about free speech, particularly within publicly funded cultural institutions.

 

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鈥淛ournalism is a vocation, not just a job,鈥� he told the publication.

鈥淚 immediately knew there wasn鈥檛 just an uncomfortable interaction with security. The Kennedy Center is a federally funded cultural institution, and being questioned about speech related to the president in that setting felt like something the public should know about.鈥�

The reported incident comes amid sweeping changes to the Kennedy Center, which is set to close for two years for a $257 million renovation project initiated by Trump.

In December 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X claiming the Kennedy Center board had 鈥渧oted unanimously鈥� to rename the institution the Trump-Kennedy Center, a move that sparked criticism from arts advocates and 17c起草社区IA+ communities.

Ramirez believes his detention reflected efforts to control political optics.

He claimed the interaction was an attempt to 鈥渕anage the president鈥檚 image in the media鈥� and described the situation as a violation of free speech.

鈥淏eing singled out by security at a federally funded institution for expressing dissent shouldn鈥檛 be brushed off; it undermines the First Amendment,鈥� he told the Washington Blade. 鈥淏eing of Cuban heritage, and a journalist, it鈥檚 a right I鈥檓 not willing to give up readily.鈥�

The Kennedy Center has not publicly commented on the alleged detention.

 

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