Breaking News: Activists being arrested outside Appropriations Committee hearing

[helderheid]

Activists being arrested outside Appropriations Committee hearing

Breaking News 11:30 am, March 15:

The Appropriations Committee is meeting right now in Washington DC and is discussing war appropriations. Members of the public are not being allowed entry to the Appropriations hearing - only members and staff are being admitted. Folks are waiting outside. Many anti-war funding activists are demanding entry. Capitol police have gotten rough - three people have already been arrested.

Call Rep. Obey's (WI -07) office at [phone] to arrange for a larger room to accommodate the citizens who want to observe their representatives at work on this critical issue of funding the Iraq occupation.

It’s not too late – the hearing will likely continue tomorrow. Spread the word!

[helderheid]

1. k

[Monkeyman]

2. Do we have a link yet I like to send that around to VVAW and others

[helderheid]

3. self delete more after I get off the phone

[Monkeyman]

5. Thanks Please EM me

[Dhalgren]

4. K&R. It sure is great that our Democrats are in charge...

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

6. c-span3 has it

room is full.

www.c-span.org

[shance]

7. Thank you Helderheid for this info** I'll pass this on.

Shouldn't the Appropriations meetings be open for everyone?

What are our Democratic and Republican leaders hiding?

We expect it from the Republicans but it seems we now should expect it as well from the "Democrats".

[helderheid]

8. MORE WITH PHOTOS:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

30 minutes ago: This morning The Encampment to Stop the War went into the Rayburn Building to confront the Democrats as the House Appropriations Committee holds their first meeting to fund the continuation of the slaughter in Iraq. 10 Encampment members were arrested. A few of us were the first in line in the hallway outside the chamber where the meeting is now taking place. The balance of Encampment members picketed the outside of the building.

In the hallway outside the chamber they lined us up for entrance into the chamber. After waiting for about an hour, the Capital Police opened up a door on the other end of the hallway to bring a large number of staffers in. The police then told us that there would not be enough room for us to attend the public meeting. The time was 8:56, 4 minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin. About a dozen Encampment members and several members of Code Pink began to chant:

"LET US IN - IT'S THE PEOPLES' HOUSE!"

Gael Murphy being cuffed in the hallway immediately outside the door of the House Appropriations Committee Meeting. (Photo: Axis of Logic)

As Encampment members became louder demanding their right to attend this public meeting. The police arrested 3 members of the Encampment in the hallway:

GAEL MURPHY
RALPH LOEFFLER
MEL STEVENS

Gael, Ralph and Mel sat down on the floor and refused to leave as everyone loudly demanded their right to attend this important meeting. The police forced them face down on the floor, handcuffed them and took them out. The protest in the hallway became louder and the House Appropriations Committee were forced to delay their meeting by about a half hour because of the growing disturbance directly outside the chamber doors.



Mel Stevens being taken away by the police
(Photo: Axis of Logic)

Following these arrests, 7 more Encampment Members were arrested for blocking the front door of the Rayburn Building:

SHARON BLACK
SARA FLOUNDERS
DUSTIN LANGLEY
LARRY HOLMES
LORIE BLANDING
BOB NASH
PAUL ZULKOWITZ

They are now being held in jail by the Washington DC police department pending charges. Encampment attorney, Buddy Spell held a press conference shortly after the arrests and is now working to secure their release.

More photographs of the arrests, details of what happened this morning and new developing information will be published on this story within the next hour or so on Axis of Logic.

http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_24099.shtml

[mmonk]

14. What are the charges?

Trespassing on the people's House?

[helderheid]

9. Kick for photos

[Breeze54]

10. I thought it was a public hearing!?

Now that explains why the hearing was delayed and who I heard yelling!

Thanks for the info!

:kick: & R'd

[helderheid]

11. It is a public hearing - this is more than insane!

[helderheid]

12. PLEASE call Rep. Obey's (WI -07) office at [phone] to arrange for a larger room

to accommodate the citizens who want to observe their representatives at work on this critical issue of funding the Iraq occupation.

It’s not too late – the hearing will likely continue tomorrow. Spread the word!

[shance]

13. Is Obey the one calling for these citizens to be arrested?

n/t

[helderheid]

15. I don't know.

[onenote]

23. Pretty clear that they wanted to get arrested

Just that they would've preferred to have gotten arrested in the room so it was on CSPAN.

First, congressional hearings routinely have more people show up than there is space. I wasn't at this particularly hearing, so I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty dubious that CodePink could show up the morning of this hearing and be first in line. Lobbyists, the press,etc. typically hire line-sitters who will spend all night outside a hearing room in order to help ensure that their clients get a seat inside.

In any event, the stated reason for the CodePink folks wanting to get inside the hearing was to "confront" members of the Committee. Well, just because its a hearing that's open to the public doesn't mean anyone and everyone gets to speak at it. And they obviously know that. Their goal was to disrupt the hearing, at which point the inevitable result would be that they would be ejected physically from the hearing and/or arrested for disrupting the hearing.

They got part of exactly what they expected and desired, just not on camera inside the room.

[shance]

24. No, Onenote. I would disagree. It seems quite clear they wanted to attend the meetings.

It's not something that is desired, however if those who abuse power wish to illegally incarcerate citizens for exercising their rights as Americans, then these brave activists are willing to go through the difficulties and injustices like being arrested.

[onenote]

25. Sorry, but folks don't have a "right" to interrupt or disrupt a Congressional hearing

And CodePink knows that. They are engaging in civil disobedience, which has a long and noble tradition and which I support. But getting arrested comes with the territory when you engage in civil disobedience.

[NobleCynic]

26. Civil disobedience, while oft admirable

is not legal.

Attend and disrupt are not necessarily the same thing

[helderheid]

16. PDA NY State Coordinator, Frances Anderson was there as an eye witness - I'll report what I know

as I know it!

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. Sorry, but that's just a stupid move on so many levels, IMO

**donning max-flame suit**

Acting up like that and making a scene does not help the cause. Are cameras rolling going to be sending the message they intend, or are those cameras going to be showing them as 'kooks and fringe'? I certainly don't think the activists are either, but that's what's going to be shown.

The Activists need to set a strategy aimed at Republicans. Democrats are not going to be able to really put teeth into any legislation without getting Republicans on board. Hit the offices of the Cons (Including Lieberman). Yes, Democrats are in the Majority...but barely. Until they peel off the Cons, very little has a chance of surviving passage let alone veto.

Put the pressure on the Cons.

(*sigh* sorry to run out on this post, but have an appointment)

[Dhalgren]

18. I simply can't disagree with you more. The peace movement has to show that this si not politics.

This is not an anti-Republican/pro-Democratic movement. It is an anti-war movement and if the Democrats will not act in the interests of peace, then they need to be called out JUST LIKE REPUBLICANS!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. Well, said. I agree totally.

[mmonk]

20. Yeah sure, republicans are going to listen to code pink.

Republicans don't control congress. Can I have what you're smoking? Not intended to offend. I'm just being my usual sarcastic self.

[reprehensor]

19. Is this a warm-up for Saturday at the Pentagon?

http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_24099.shtml

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. K&R for the right of the people to petition for redress of grievances.