Protesters arrested at Rep. Sanchez's office

[Hapameli]

Source: Orange County Register

Protesters arrested at Rep. Sanchez's office

Six arrested on suspicion of trespassing after refusing to leave congresswoman's Garden Grove office, police say.

By DENISSE SALAZAR
The Orange County Register

GARDEN GROVE – A group of anti-war activists was arrested this morning at Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez's office after an overnight protest organized in an effort to end the war in Iraq.

At about 8:15 a.m., six protesters were arrested in connection with trespassing after they refused to leave Sanchez's office, said Lt. Travis Whitman of the Garden Grove Police Department. Another protester left voluntarily, he said.....

The protest started Tuesday night when about 20 military family members and veterans showed up at Sanchez's office at 12397 Lewis St. during an open house and asked her to sign a pledge not to fund the war in Iraq, said Jeff Merrick, who took part in the protest....

The protest was organized by Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War and residents. Merrick said writing letters, making phone calls and meetings with Sanchez for over a year to stop funding the war have been ineffective.

Read more: http://www.ocregister.com/news/sanchez-war-office-1801788-iraq-grove

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www.mfsooc.org
www.myspace.com/ocmfso

[rodeodance]

1. interesting. they were vets an military families.

[Hapameli]

3. Two military parents, one Vietnam Vet, & one with a nephew in Iraq

They were also joined by Iraq Vets Against the War (IVAW).

MFSO is an organization for families who had family members serving during the Iraq War. Our membership is very restricted and therefore our voices are stronger. WE are the 5% making the sacrifice.

I'd expect a slightly more enthusiastic reaction than this. That is not the best written article, that reporter wasn't there during the arrest.

[Hapameli]

11. They have been released & were treated VERY badly by the Garden Grove PD

They were barged in on and swarmed during the arrest, left in jail for a couple hours, interrogated harshly and threatened if they were ever arrested again. Even the Capitol Hill police treated them well compared to this.

And Loretta's office was scheming to draw the media away and scheming with the police the whole time, while she was "unavailable for comment".

[David__77]

2. I applaud both the cause and the tactics of these protesters.

Progressives should generate pressure whenever possible to convince progressive legislators to not support war funding. Defunding was crucial to ending the Vietnam slaughter, just as it will be with Iraq.

[Hapameli]

4. Thanks.... Loretta is a Blue Dog, also on the Defense & Appropriations committes

Defunding is the only thing that Bush can't veto.

[David__77]

7. She is, to be fair, better than most Blue Dogs.

I think this was somewhat for show since her district was historically right-wing. She doesn't have terrible instincts.

[Doctor_J]

5. What part of "People have the right to peaceably assemble" is no longer valid?

Is this government property or private property? WTF is happening here?

[Hapameli]

6. They sent in more than 15 cops, thru the back door and snuck them out

15 minutes before the scheduled press conference (when we were told they would open the doors).

They stayed up all night talking with Loretta's chief of staff... they said it was "surreal".

[The Sushi Bandit]

8. Here is a photo of Loretta and I at a Kucinich 2004 rally in Santa Ana

I dont understand what realy went on but my opinion of her is very good.

[Hapameli]

9. LA Times article... this reporter was there

6 war protesters arrested at lawmaker's O.C. office

By Jennifer Delson, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
12:09 PM PDT, August 8, 2007


Six antiwar demonstrators were arrested at the Garden Grove office of Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana) this morning, after camping out overnight and telling her they wouldn't leave unless she publicly promised not to approve more funding for the war in Iraq.

Most of the protesters are members of the group Military Families Speak Out. They entered the office about 7 p.m. Tuesday during an open house. They sat on the floor in the lobby and refused to leave unless the congresswoman made the statement they wanted. Sanchez refused....

While Sanchez was attending a meeting of Orange County Latino leaders this morning, police removed the protesters, in handcuffs, from her office about 8:15. They were taken by van to the Garden Grove Police Department, where they were issued misdemeanor citations for trespassing. They were expected to be released pending a court hearing.

Sanchez said Tuesday night that she could not support the protesters because the Iraq war funding was in the same bill that provided money to build the C-17 aircraft in California.


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sanchez9aug08,0,3586089.story?coll=la-home-local

[obiwan]

10. Pat Alviso is a personal friend of mine.

If she got arrested, rest assured that it was for a good reason. Pat is for real, and I support her and Jeff 110%.

Linda Sanchez is OK too. You need to understand the protesters were making a larger point, and I don't think they were specifically attacking Ms. Sanchez.

[obiwan]

12. Sorry. Didn't read close enough...

...didn't realize we were talking about Loretta. My bad.

As for the C-17's...well, screw 'em. In my estimation they are just more flying coffins to send our kids to their deaths in Iraq, and then bring back their bodies. We don't need C-17's.