Dozens of people were arrested in an anti-war protest outside the White House today. A press release issued by protest organizers put the number at 82, while CNN reported that U.S. Park Police said 61 protesters had been arrested.
Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004 and later made a name for herself by camping outside then-President George W. Bush’s home in Crawford, TX, was involved in the protest. CNN said she was arrested. There was also poetry. According to the release:
Hundreds of people gathered this morning in McPherson Square for song, poetry and rousing speeches to kick off a day of action. Led by the “Mourn the dead, heal the wounded, end the wars” banner, those gathered then marched to the White House in a solemn procession, carrying large photographs of war victims, signs and banners.
Some people, protesting the continued operation of the prison at Gitmo, “chained themselves to the fence.” The release says:
All those who remained on the White House sidewalk were eventually arrested. In total, 82 people were taken into police custody as the readings of the names of the dead–a tragic litany of war–continued.
During his press briefing today, Press Secretary Robert Gates fielded a question about a “disruptive” protest outside the White House that caused people going to the Situation Room to walk around much of the White House in order to get inside.
“Until you said it, I was previously unaware,” Gibbs said, adding that such protests are “a hallmark of our country.”
Late Update: The protesters have revised their arrest tally. A new press release puts the number of protesters arrested at 61.
Editor’s Note: This post has been changed since it was first published.
