[From the diaries by susanhu. CNN is also reporting this story. (Finally reporting something about the anti-war protests!)]
The AP is reporting that Cindy Sheehan has been arrested.
Update [2005-9-26 19:24:5 by ejmw]: Cindy has written a diary about it over at dKos.
Sheehan and several dozen other protesters sat down on the sidewalk after marching along the pedestrian walkway on Pennsylvania Avenue. Police warned them three times that they were breaking the law by failing to move along, then began making arrests.
Sheehan, 48, was the first taken into custody. She stood up and was led to a police vehicle while protesters chanted, “The whole world is watching.”
Read more here, though it is not a very complete article, I’m afraid.
MSNBC has it listed as “Breaking News” on their frontpage, but no article yet.
I haven’t been able to find out exactly what the charges are. Loitering? Something more serious? I am not familiar with DC; there may be some specific laws about hanging around government buildings for too long. Anybody?
MORE BELOW:
Update [2005-9-26 14:30:17 by ejmw]:CNN has it linked from their front page, but the only real addition is someone spewing right wing talking points:
“I would like to say to Cindy Sheehan and her supporters don’t be a group of unthinking lemmings. It’s not pretty,” said Mitzy Kenny of Ridgeley, West Virginia, whose husband died in Iraq last year. The anti-war demonstrations “can affect the war in a really negative way. It gives the enemy hope.”
Grrrr….
Update [2005-9-26 14:46:8 by ejmw]:MSNBC now has the article up, along with a picture of Cindy smiling and appearing to be carried away (not led, like the articles say).
Update [2005-9-26 15:16:31 by ejmw]:OK, last update. It’s all over the news wires now. Google news now links to over 1300 articles (most of which are probably just copies of the AP one).
Update [2005-9-26 15:52:7 by ejmw]:OK, I lied. One more update. ConnecticutMan1 points out that the CNN article has been fleshed out some more, and has the following to say about the charges:
Others who were arrested also cooperated with police. Sgt. Scott Fear, spokesman for the U.S. Park Police, said they would be charged with demonstrating without a permit, which is a misdemeanor.
Also, it looks like they’ll be back out soon after receiving their slap on the hand and requisite fine.
Park Police Sgt. L.J. McNally said Sheehan and the others would be taken to a processing center where they would be fingerprinted and photographed, then given a ticket and released. The process would take several hours, he said.
Update [2005-9-26 16:51:2 by ejmw]:A great play by play of today’s events w/ photos by David Swanson (props to sjct for the link!)
