Security clearanceSinn Féin leader Gerry Adams denied entry to White House

After being denied access to the White House for a St. Patrick’s Day reception, Gerry Adams, the Sinn Féin leader, described the incident as an “unacceptable development.”

Adams turned up on Tuesday evening for the annual Irish event hosted by the President, Barack Obama, but was denied access to the White House over a “security” issue.

Time reports that he left after waiting for an hour and a half to receive clearance.

He issued a statement confirming the incident, saying Sinn Féin “will not sit at the back of the bus for anyone.”

“After two decades of travelling back and forth to the USA and countless meetings in the White House with successive U.S. presidents, this is an unacceptable development,” he said.

“It is obvious that there remain some within the U.S. administration who seek to treat Sinn Féin differently.”

Timenotes that while Adams was denied entry to the event, his party deputy leader, Mary Lou McDonald, and Sinn Féin’s Northern Ireland deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, were both admitted without any problem.

“I had received my usual invitation to attend the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the White House and was pleased to accept,” said Adams. “When I arrived the staff at the White House informed me that there was an issue of ‘security’.”

Adams and other Sinn Féin representatives have typically been subjected to additional searches and scrutiny when travelling to and from the United States.

“This morning Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald and I met with the Congressional Friends of Ireland,” said Adams.

“They too shared our grave disappointment at the White House situation and expressed their determination to have this issue resolved. Sinn Féin will not sit at the back of the bus for anyone. We are elected to represent citizens and we will do this.”