Five Members Of Congress Arrested Protesting Outside Sudanese Embassy (VIDEO)

Five members of Congress and two Darfur activists had themselves arrested Monday outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington, D.C., to draw attention to the continuing humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Uniformed Secret Service officers put plastic handcuffs on Reps. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), John Lewis (D-Ga.), Donna Edwards (D-Md.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), and Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), along with Save Darfur Coalition president Jerry Fowler and Enough Project co-founder John Prendergast after the group stepped behind yellow police tape in front of the embassy.

Before being taken into custody, each of the arrestees addressed a small crowd of reporters and other activists who had been tipped off about the event. Each speaker called on the Obama administration to do more to stop the conflict in Sudan.

"Almost a half a million people have been killed," said Rep. Lewis before crossing the line. "This terror, this violence must end and it must end soon."

After their statements, the gang lifted up the police tape and waited patiently (and quietly) for the police to arrest them. An officer issued three warnings before the cuffs came out. Officers frisked each of the lawbreakers and went through their pockets before stuffing them in a paddywagon and a cruiser.

The group met Monday morning at the Religious Action Center before marching the short distance to the embassy. As they went over their plan, some of the members put their wallets and other personal belongings into plastic bags. Ellison took the extra step of removing his shoelaces. The Huffington Post asked Ellison if he'd been arrested before.

"Not on something like this," he said.

The protesters had hired criminal defense attorney Laura Rhodes to get them out from behind bars. Rhodes seemed pretty confident in her game.

"For those of you anxious about going to jail, I've gotten people out who've killed people," she said.

UPDATE: Also arrested: Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of
Reform Judaism.

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Comments

[TurtleGuy]

Glad a rep from my state (McGovern) had the stones to go through with it.

[Dunderslapoldmen]

didn't he run for prez?

[Andrew Koenig - Huffpost Blogger]

Good on them. It's nice to see politicians do what many of us have been doing for years.

[Dunderslapoldmen]

break the law?

[sanaaiman]

this made me tear up a little bit. i'm such a crybaby. i'm extremely proud of everyone involved. even the cops.

[Progress08]

I have so much respect for Congressman Lewis. This is what a representative is supposed to do... stand up for a cause that doesn't involve their checkbooks. I only wish the UN would grow some nuts and do something about the attrocities committed by the Sudanese.

[bushlies]

John Lewis: Still fighting the good fight!

[jonjon66]

Dafur Now!

[Steambomb]

lol why are all the police shaved heads?

[Dunderslapoldmen]

you can run faster chasing bad guys.

[rhondadavis28]

Not a Republican among them....th­ey just don't care....

[ProudlyConservative42]

That was a patently false statement the first time I read it....5 posts below. Do you have any original thoughts or do you simply lift other people's ideas like Joe Biden?

[tjoy]

There were no Republican representatives there--that was a fact.

[Steambomb]

An example of leadership. To the core. I am not being sarcastic here. Good job guys.

[luvangelHussein330]

Who ever is on the bull horn needs to give it up to someone else....ge­ez!! ZZZZzzzzzZZZZZ
On another note...I'm glad they did this!!

[yhgtup]

I've been totally sympathetic & disturbed by the crisis in Darfur, but I still feel for Pres Obama. This is just another protest/issue on his plate. He took office with UNPRECEDENTED problems, & they continue to build. He's handling all this pressure with grace & dignity. That's why I will continue to support him & challenge anyone who speaks negatively about my president. Here in Tallahassee, Florida, some of us supporters have organized a "We Support Our President" rally for this Wednesday. I suggest some of you other Obama supporters do the same in your local communities.

[joshrox]

Being arrested serves what purpose? How does this help the people of Darfur? This is stupid at the least. Once again, bad eye for America. If they really wanted to help they would be in Washington actually working to do something concrete about Darfar.

[Steambomb]

I guess you dont get the symbolism or the concept. These congressmen/women are making a point and that point is that people should be able to protest where ever they like. This is an act of free speech.

[joshrox]

Oh, I get it now, like the tea parties.

[elcojonu]

Without protests there would have been no civil rights,
Without civil rights there would have been no Barack Obama.
Think before you speak so as not to sound foolish.

[Dunderslapoldmen]

Or as Jesse would say, " I wanna cut his nutz out."

[joshrox]

Sorta like the tea parties, right?

[TurtleGuy]

I guess you have never heard of the concept of "civil disobedience".

I also guess that you believe that the US should have never been founded? Hate to break it to ya, but without civil disobediance, as a cornerstone of political activism in this country, we would not even exist as a country.

[Kevin Newman]

It gets it on HuffPo - hopefully other media outlets. These kinds of events have always been about increasing awarenes, and there for pressure to act.

[truthfulb]

I got to agree with that too I see no point n them getting arrested either and to be honest I really do not think the officers did not want to arrest them either?

[mazzetta]

follows >

Maybe it's also little known that Baroness Cox has (for years) spinned false stories on Sudan (e.g. http://www.espac.org/cs_worldw/cox_how_reliable.asp ) and in the end pushed (in 2002) 'The Irish Times, the Independent on Sunday, The Washington Post and the International Herald to publish a joint statement in which they apologized with readers for Cox's lies they've been publishing for years.

She asked money to "free slaves" (never) hold by "evil arabs", with that money John Garang bought weapons from UK, weapons which travelled thru Uganda as spare parts to skip the embargo

Simplified versions for simple people, Sudan's big as western Europe and his destiny has always been decided by Western powers, nothing has changed until now.

Actually nobody is really fighting on the side of sudanese people, nor the "Christian" South, nor western powers and countries, each one is playing its game , as the very people (actors, politicians and so on) who travel the country to have a photo-op

Let alone Chadian people's destiny, nobody cares about, so that often they show chadian refgees to western visitors pretending they come from Darfur, it would be hard to explain some hundred thousand refugees from Chad to people who nor knows about fightings in Chad and CAR

keep your eyes open, dealing with Africa lot of people tells you b.s.

[mamala4]

Not a Republican among them....th­ey just don't care....

[BillMelater]

They wouldn't be caught dead standing up for Africans anywhere.

[ProudlyConservative42]

George Bush gave more money to Africa than ANY president before him.

[tfoley]

The dems are in complete control now, lets see how much they care, and if they will do anything about Darfur.

[24kgold]

Well it kinda look like they are doing something right?

[ProudlyConservative42]

Were you among them? No? Is it because you just don't care?

[joshrox]

Republicans are to smart to act in such a foolish manner. Getting arrested serves what purpose?

[BillMelater]

It makes a firm statement.

[bushlies]

It seemed to work with South Africa.

[TokyoCalling]

Actions like these helped repeal segregation. Taking a stand is what America is all about but we now live during a time when people don't know their own history and don't care. This republican - I have mine and screw everyone else attitude is pathetic.

[NCYvonne]

>>Getting arrested serves what purpose?>>

Why don't you ask Ghandi or MLK? Sheez. Talk about stoooopid!

[Smurfaveli]

That's like me front row at a KKK rally----ain't happening.

[mazzetta]

follows >

Maybe it's also little known that Baroness Cox has (for years) spinned false stories on Sudan (e.g. http://www.espac.org/cs_worldw/cox_how_reliable.asp ) and in the end pushed (in 2002) 'The Irish Times, the Independent on Sunday, The Washington Post and the International Herald to publish a joint statement in which they apologized with readers for Cox's lies they've been publishing for years.

She asked money to "free slaves" (never) hold by "evil arabs", with that money John Garang bought weapons from UK, weapons which travelled thru Uganda as spare parts to skip the embargo

Simplified versions for simple people, Sudan's big as western Europe and his destiny has always been decided by Western powers, nothing has changed until now.

Actually nobody is really fighting on the side of sudanese people, nor the "Christian" South, nor western powers and countries, each one is playing its game , as the very people (actors, politicians and so on) who travel the country to have a photo-op

Let alone Chadian people's destiny, nobody cares about, so that often they show chadian refgees to western visitors pretending they come from Darfur, it would be hard to explain some hundred thousand refugees from Chad to people who nor knows about fightings in Chad and CAR

keep your eyes open, dealing with Africa lot of people tells you b.s.