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

[jedi penguin]

Not a terribly lively gathering, but for an EXCELLENT cause. Total opposite of the hysterical teabaggers who didn't even know what they were protesting, and thus far more compelling. Good for those congressmen, for reminding us all that some things ARE worth yelling (or quietly standing around) about.

[FernandoRuiz]

hey look, a real grassroots movement. Not one that is funded and supported by lobbyists and Fox News

[tsmith144000]

Interesting (read:creepy) way to end that story. Anyhoo, the entire int'l community has been dragging their feet on this genocide for years. As heinous as the Holocaust was, for some reason this isn't.

[FernandoRuiz]

We didnt seem to think the Holocaust was a big deal until Japan brought it to our shores

[NC4Obama]

You would think that they would take it more seriously, considering that places that Sudan are a breading ground for terrorist. Osama was in Sudan for quite some time if i recall.

[amdezurik]

history is different from what you seem to think...

[LilGlow]

Thank you to those that is standing up for Darfur and the innocent people that are being killed.

[roshni]

All dems, of course. The only people who care about human rights.

[rbchilds]

Tell that to the Laotians and Cambodians.

[Martha12]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis_(politician)

John Robert Lewis (born February 21, 1940) is an American politician and was a leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and played a key role in the struggle to end segregation. Lewis, a member of the Democratic Party, has represented Georgia's 5th Congressional District (map) in the United States House of Representatives since 1987. The district encompasses almost all of Atlanta.

[SurrealPumpkin]

John Lewis, a model for all citizens.

[Boneszy]

And George Clooney rejoiced; this takes some guts though I guess they have a pretty parachute being a congress member....­thats a note to the rest of ya don't try this unless you got your parachute

[Martha12]

Lewis was instrumental in organizing student sit-ins, bus boycotts and non-violent protests in the fight for voter and racial equality. He endured brutal beatings by angry mobs and suffered a fractured skull at the hands of Alabama State police as he led a march of 600 people in Selma, Ala. in 1965.[1][2­]
In 1986, when Fowler ran for the United States Senate, Lewis defeated fellow civil rights leader Julian Bond in the Democratic primary to succeed Fowler in the 5th District. This win was tantamount to election in the heavily Democratic, majority-black 5th District. Lewis was the second African-American to represent Georgia in Congress since Reconstruction. Young was the first. Lewis has been re-elected ten times without serious opposition, often with over 70 percent of the vote. He has been unopposed for reelection since 2002 but faced two primary opponents in 2008.

Lewis became nationally known during his prominent role in the Selma to Montgomery marches. During the first march police attacked the peaceful demonstrators and beat Lewis mercilessly in public, leaving head wounds that are still visible today. At the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom of 1963, Lewis, a representative of [SNCC], the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, was the youngest speaker.[2­]

n February 2009, forty-eight years after he had been bloodied by the Ku Klux Klan during civil rights marches, Lewis received an apology on national television from a white southerner, former Klansman Elwin Wilson.[3] [4]

[roshni]

Lewis is a hero. Even McCain conceded as much.

[kgrdem]

Dems protest to help others. Republicans only protest to help themselves. There you have the basic difference in their world views and morals in a nutshell.

[Hopeington]

Couldn't agree with you more! I guess that's why they call them right wing nuts.

[jedi penguin]

Excellent observation.

[solopico]

horse c.r.a.p.

[Aabby]

That really does say it all.

[Natamic]

At least they are doing something!

[ham4114]

The U.N needs to get involved. They will fix the problem (sarcasm).

[hominidx]

Wow, what a brilliant use of sarcasm. You're not quite sure what the purpose of the UN is, are you?

[000Jade000]

Good for them.

[Pema]

Im going to call these congress peoples offices and thank them for standing up. This is what we used to do before we all got fat and lazy.
Stand up! Rise up!

[RJII]

more congress members need to earn their paycheck too. congrats to this groups

[pipetoe]

photo op obviously.­..

[CR46]

Obviously this was staged to call attention to the problem in Darfur. Thanks to these people for trying to get this to the forefront!!!

[MathIsTruth]

I can't speak for all five Congressmen involved, but I can tell you that Jim McGovern ran unopposed in the last election, and never has had a close election. He is in a "safe" seat and has no personal need for photo-ops.

He wouldn't be doing this if he weren't trying to make a difference.

Spend you cynicism elsewhere, please.

[dakotawoman]

Of course. It was an opportunity to draw attention to the humanitarian tragedy in Darfu. If there were no photos nor attention to the action, it would not have been effective.

[rayy]

That's kinda the point! (duh)--draw attention to the problem. At least they are doing something.

[CitizenJ]

I wonder if the Republicans support the Sudanese government.

[FernandoRuiz]

Republicans dont even know what continent Sudan is on, much less the situation over there

[roshni]

Hey, if they can line their pockets somehow, I'm sure they do.

[k6007]

Finally, someone on the hill, giving a dam.