WASHINGTON — Old Town Alexandria hit a sour note after the arrest of a street performing opera singer that shouldn’t have happened.
Soprano Krista Clouse was singing from “Evita” when she was handcuffed and taken to jail Friday night. The Commonwealth’s Attorney has told the city that the noise ordinance Clouse violated called for a written warning — not an arrest.
“The arrest should not have taken place at the time it did and the city manager has publicly apologized to Ms. Clouse,” said Craig Fifer, director of communications and public information for the City of Alexandria.
City Manager Mark Jinks issued his apology to Clouse, saying, “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.”
