Patti Thompson Arrested in Protest at Soviet Embassy

Gospel singer Patti Thompson, who was once married to Oral Roberts’ son Richard, was arrested outside the Soviet Embassy today while protesting the denial of exit permits to a prominent Jewish dissident and his wife.

Police handcuffed and drove her away after she unfolded a banner which read, “Secretary General Gorbachev--Allow Vladimir and Masha Slepak to Immigrate to Israel.”

The Slepaks, described as founders of the Jewish dissident movement in the Soviet Union, have been denied permission to leave that country for 17 years.

Thompson was arrested after she refused to move to a point 500 feet away from the embassy as required under a District of Columbia ordinance regulating protests.

Thompson, an evangelical Christian entertainer and author, was the featured soloist for 12 years on Oral Roberts’ religious television broadcasts when she was married to Richard Roberts.