TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- Rep. Bob Allen said that since his arrest last month on a charge of solicitation for prostitution, he's come to understand the civil rights movement was about more than the fight for racial equality, according to Local 6 News partner Florida Today.

"That was a battle they didn't fight for just people of color," he said during a speech Tuesday before about a dozen people at the general membership meeting of the North Brevard branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at the Gibson Community Center.

The movement was also, and remains, about judicial fairness and protection, which at this point stymie his ability to address in public the allegation that he offered to pay $20 to perform oral sex on an undercover Titusville officer he encountered in a park bathroom.

In his second appearance before a Brevard County branch of the NAACP during the past 10 days, Allen said in a half-hour speech that he understands "you're guilty until proven innocent" thanks to incessant media coverage, Florida Today reported.

He said he also understands how those who still fight for civil rights, including members of his audience, might be offended by his words, especially comments he made to police after his July 11 arrest on the misdemeanor charge. According to recordings, Allen spoke of "a pretty stocky black guy and there's other black guys around in the park that -- you know. . . I'm about to be a statistic here."

As he has before, Allen on Tuesday apologized for those words, saying he did not mean them to be racist. He said he was just giving police what they asked for: a description of what happened.

"That is not me," he said of accusations that he is a racist.

Until Tuesday, Theodis Ray didn't know what to think. He could only go by what he read in the newspaper and saw on television.

At the meeting, the Titusville resident told Allen, "I accept your apology."

North Brevard NAACP President Bill Gary said he knew Allen was not speaking as a racist when he spoke to police. Gary said he worked with Allen for several years -- the Merritt Island Republican has come before Gary's branch several times over the years to talk about legislative matters -- and didn't see a hint of racism in general in the man.

"Of all people I was surprised when I saw that characterization in the paper," he said. "I couldn't help but think that was taken out of context and sensationalized."

However the words were treated, they and his arrest have had a growing effect on Allen's political life -- and that's before he seeks a seat in the Senate next year after he is term-limited out of the House. House Speaker Marco Rubio last week stripped Allen of his Energy Committee chairmanship, and in early August the Orlando-based Florida Civil Rights Association called for Allen's resignation because of the "racially insensitive" comments

On Tuesday, Allen did deliver his regular legislative update. But his talk about property tax reform and insurance was overshadowed by what Allen called "the big elephant in the room" -- the audio recording.

He also talked about how the last month has been "hellish" for his family, who first got the news via a television report.

"The most terrible thing is you're sitting in a holding cell when your family hears it first-hand from the media," he said.

He said he hoped the media -- who nearly outnumbered the members at the meeting -- asked pointed questions of "the other side" -- police -- and do not take their statements at face value. He also said he expected to be vindicated in court and that recent events wouldn't negatively affect his career.

"When the real facts come out, I'm hoping that people give them attention," he said.

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