Alexandria Apologizes to Opera Singer After Street Arrest, Night in Jail

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- An opera singer getting handcuffed, fingerprinted and spending the night in jail for singing in Old Town Alexandria?

Apologies have been issued but not before a harrowing experience for award-winning opera singer Krista Clouse. She was arrested for violating a noise ordinance for using an amplifier while singing near King and Lee streets Friday night for reportedly using a device that played an orchestral accompaniment to her singing.

"I was trying to continue singing while handcuffs were cutting into my wrists and the officer was unnecessarily touching my private area searching, as she said, to make sure I was not carrying a weapon," the singer wrote on her Facebook page. "The indignity of it still stings, both physically and emotionally."

The City of Alexandria states its ordinance “is to prevent any noise that annoys or disturbs the comfort, health, welfare, environment, peace, or safety of any person in the city of Alexandria.”

The City is back-pedaling now, issuing apologies, because the violation only calls for a written warning, not handcuffing, fingerprinting and spending a night in jail, which is what happened to Clouse.

The incident grabbed headlines as far away as London's Daily Mail, with the headline: "Don't Cry for Me Alexandria! Opera singer busking in Virginia city sings Evita showtune as she is arrested by police."

Craig Fifer, director of communications and public information for the City of Alexandria, told WTOP that City Manager Mark Jinks issued an apology to Clouse: “While we are obligated to enforce certain restrictions, we did not follow the correct procedure in this case.”

Fifer says the city is reviewing the way it applies noise ordinances to street performers and plans to issue fresh guidelines in the days ahead. He added, “We want to strike a balance between having a lively Old Town that residents want, but within appropriate parameters.”

Watch Clouse sing "Ave Maria" in this video posted to YouTube in a street performance near the White House:

PHOTO: Krisa Clouse/promotional photo