Noah Wyle: Arrest was surreal (From Swindon Advertiser)

Noah Wyle: Arrest was surreal

10:46am Wednesday 25th April 2012 in Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

Noah Wyle said he made his kids proud after he was arrested for joining a political protest on Capitol Hill in Washington.

The former ER star and about 100 members of the group ADAPT were arrested during a protest to urge Congress not to cut Medicaid.

Noah revealed he had warned his ex-wife and kids, nine-year-old son Owen and six-year-old daughter Auden, that he might be arrested. "I think they're really proud of the old man right now," he said.

The 40-year-old actor - who now stars in TNT's sci-fi series Falling Skies - spoke to the Associated Press while waiting to be processed in the basement of the Cannon House Office Building where the protest took place.

Noah said being arrested for the first time was "slightly surreal."

"As soon as everybody saw me being led away, they let up a big whooping cheer, which made me feel really good," he revealed.

It was five weeks ago that George Clooney, Noah's former ER co-star, was arrested during a demonstration in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington.

Noah said he would "let George focus on the international; I'll deal with the small domestic issues."

Many of his fellow protesters were in wheelchairs, and Noah said they were the ones who would be hurt most by any Medicaid cuts.

"Those cuts would reduce the hours of home health care aides being able to come in and give basic services, which would force people to basically give up their right to live in integrated, portable, accessible housing and put them in an institution," he said.