The womens antiwar group CodePink was behind the disruption of Representative Paul D. Ryans speech on Wednesday night, but it was in part a product of the Romney campaigns continuing dispute with Ron Paul supporters. An angry Ron Paul person was like, here, take my pass, said Laura Mills, the 21-year-old CodePink intern who was escorted out of the Tampa Bay Times Forum after interrupting Mr. Pauls speech.
Ms. Mills and a more seasoned activist, Ann Wright, were just waiting for Mr. Ryan to say something about health care. When he did, they yelled, Health care, not warfare and My body, my choice. Ms. Mills unfurled a banner that read, Vagina: Cant Say It? Dont Legislate It, a reference to an abortion debate in Michigan when a female lawmaker was barred from speaking after referring to womens genitals.
The protest was quickly drowned out by the crowds energetic chants of U.S.A., U.S.A.
Ms. Mills said her credential, which she got from supporters of Mr. Paul after his son Rand, a senator from Kentucky, addressed the convention, would have put her in a remote area of the forum. But by pretending that Ms. Wright was her grandmother, they talked their way into a seating area closer to the floor, near rows of reporters.
A recent graduate from Knox College in Illinois, Ms. Mills said she was more interested in CodePinks less ostentatious effort to organize an antidrone movement. But she hopes her action will give another girl the courage to stand up for herself maybe not in the middle of a possible vice presidents speech but maybe in her own personal life.
Asked if CodePink has anything in store for Mr. Romneys acceptance speech on Thursday, Ms. Mills said, I dont know.
Members of the seasoned protest group, which has carried out similar disruptions at political conventions since 2004, have been parading around Tampa in vagina costumes and trying to conduct a citizens arrest of Condoleezza Rice.