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

[Steven Anderson]

Good to see. I hope Obama noticed this and will take Sudan to his A list of foreign issues to deal with.

[Tactical Grace]

Now that is a very encouraging sign, congress people with some back bone finally. I didn't think any existed after the Rove affair.

[Aelfgifu]

I think it's actually very DIScouraging. After all, these are our congresspeople - elected and in positions of power where they should be able to actually make the changes they're asking - for themselves. Instead of pushing for legislation or pressuring the President (and they're all Democrats!), they've had to resort to the average person's method of getting our government's attention (and we know how well that usually works)... But they ARE the government!!

Something's not right here.

[dakotawoman]

Perhaps after years of being ignored, they felt they needed to make a stronger statement beyond the politics as usual system.

[BlueZoo]

I couldn't agree more! Bravo for your comment!

[jazzofcourse08]

John Lewis has more backbone than you can imagine.

[roshni]

He is an incredible man and a true hero.

[mad mary]

TotalRecall9: tom lantos was the 5th.

[TotalRecall9]

Five? I counted four.

[000Jade000]

You counted wrong. Try again. Your eyes tricked you.

[mad mary]

finally congresspeople with spines.

[Teas]

And look, their all Dem's Hmm surprised?

[mad mary]

yes.

[Rimser]

I noticed that, too.

[roshni]

Of course. That's a given.