Police arrest 26 AIDS activists at Capitol protest
WASHINGTON — A group of AIDS activists was arrested Thursday for unlawfully demonstrating in the Capitol rotunda, a Capitol Police spokeswoman said.
Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said 11 men and 15 women each face a charge of unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and loud and boisterous behavior. Their names and ages were not immediately released.
Schneider said the group entered the rotunda, located beneath the Capitol dome, and linked themselves together with a white chain at about 10 a.m. The area is usually crowded with tourists, but police restricted the traffic while they made arrests.
The activists carried signs in support of funding for needle exchange, HIV/AIDS housing and programs aimed at fighting AIDS. They chanted, “Fight global AIDS now,” and, “Clean needles save lives.” They marched in a circle before lying down on the floor.
Police bound the activists hands together and dragged some of the demonstrators to their feet as they arrested them.
The arrests came one day before President Barack Obama is to arrive in Ghana, where 320,000 people are HIV positive, according to the United Nations’ AIDS fighting agency, UNAIDS.
The activists were part of a coalition of five AIDS groups from Washington, Philadelphia and New York. They included ACT UP Philadelphia, DC Fights Back, Health GAP, New York City AIDS Network and Housing Works.
Omolola Adele-Oso of DC Fights Back questioned why lawmakers were bailing out financial institutions instead of devoting more dollars to AIDS programs.
“HIV is not in a recession,” Adele-Oso said in a written statement from the coalition about the demonstration.
Related News
Authorities say Wisconsin woman stripped in front of children and police to avoid arrestOctober 9th, 2009 Police: Wis. woman strips to avoid arrestSHEBOYGAN, Wis.
Va. woman comes home, finds US Capitol Police officer passed out drunk on her bedOctober 1st, 2009 Police: Woman finds US Capitol officer in her bedARLINGTON, Va. — Arlington police say a U.S.
Police disperse hundreds marching toward G-20 summit site in PittsburghSeptember 24th, 2009 Cops disperse hundreds of Pittsburgh G-20 marchersPITTSBURGH — Police are throwing canisters spewing smoke after ordering several hundred protesters to stop their march in opposition of the Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh. The march does not have a city permit and police have declared it an unlawful assembly.
Pittsburgh passes ordinance on human waste in public, citing reluctance to enforce other lawsSeptember 16th, 2009 Pittsburgh OKs ordinance on human waste in publicPITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh City Council has passed an ordinance specifically banning public urination and defecation because they said other laws used to cite offenders sometimes don't hold up in court. The measure approved Tuesday carries a $500 fine for anyone who relieves themselves on public streets, private property or city parks.
PETA activists dressed as seals to protest hunting arrested in front of Canadian embassy in DCSeptember 16th, 2009 Activists dressed as seals arrested at embassyWASHINGTON — Three animal rights activists protesting seal hunting have been arrested in front of the Canadian embassy in Washington. U.S. Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan says officers arrested three members of PETA Wednesday morning on charges of disorderly conduct, unlawful assembly and failure to obey.
Mass. man apologizes to police for conduct during '97 arrest, gets violently arrested next dayAugust 13th, 2009 Mass. man sorry for '97 arrest gets arrested againSALISBURY, Mass. — A 55-year-old Massachusetts man brought coffee to a police station to apologize for creating a ruckus 12 years ago, and was violently arrested the next day by the same department.
Michigan police arrest man for barking at police dog inside a patrol carAugust 5th, 2009 Man arrested for barking at Michigan police dogTHREE RIVERS, Mich. — Authorities said a man has been arrested in for barking at a police dog.
Harvard scholar sends flowers, note to woman who called 911 in incident that led to his arrestAugust 1st, 2009 Gates sends flowers, note to woman who called 911BOSTON — Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. has sent flowers and a note to the woman who unwittingly sparked a national debate on race by calling police to report what she thought might be a break-in at Gates' home.
Cambridge police to release 911 call, police radio dispatches in Harvard scholar's arrestJuly 27th, 2009 Mass. police to release 911 call in Gates arrestCAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Cambridge police are preparing to release a copy of the 911 call and radio dispatches made during the controversial arrest last week of black Harvard scholar Henry Louise Gates Jr.
911 call: Woman who reported break-in at home of arrested Harvard scholar doesn't mention raceJuly 27th, 2009 911 call in Gates case does not mention raceCAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A woman who called 911 to report a possible break-in at the home of black Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.
White House: Obama wasn't calling police officer stupid in arrest of black scholar GatesJuly 23rd, 2009 White House tempers Obama remark about policeCLEVELAND — President Barack Obama said Thursday he was surprised by all the hubbub over his comments that a white police officer in Cambridge, Mass., had acted "stupidly" in arresting a prominent black scholar for disorderly conduct. The president didn't take back his words, but he allowed that he understood the sergeant who made the arrest is an "outstanding police officer."
"I have to say I am surprised by the controversy surrounding my statement," Obama said in an interview with ABC News, "because I think it was a pretty straightforward comment that you probably don't need to handcuff a guy, a middle-aged man who uses a cane, who's in his own home."
A day earlier, Obama had been asked at a prime-time news conference whether race played a role in the arrest of Harvard's Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Marijuana group drops Conn. chapter after police say officer threatened lawmakerMay 12th, 2009 Pot group drops Connecticut chapter after arrestDANBURY, Conn. — A national marijuana advocacy group has dumped its Connecticut chapter after police say an officer threatened a state senator.
Activists marching from US Capitol to White House to protest torture, detention policiesApril 30th, 2009 Anti-torture activists march to White HouseWASHINGTON — More than 100 anti-torture activists are marching solemnly from the U.S. Capitol to the White House.
Radio Shack employee accused of disorderly conduct, battery for punching customerApril 29th, 2009 Radio Shack employee punches customerEAU CLAIRE, Wis. — A Radio Shack employee faces disorderly conduct and battery charges for punching a customer.
Ashok Singhal charged with violating poll conductApril 9th, 2009 LUCKNOW - The Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) international president Ashok Singhal has been charged with violating the model code of conduct for holding a meeting in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district without permission from the local administration. 'For defying the model code of conduct we have prepared a report against Singhal and have today (Thursday) submitted it to the returning officer,' city magistrate R.S.
Loading ...