Activist Cindy Sheehan Arrested at Capitol

[NotSoSilentBob]

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer

39 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who reinvigorated the anti-war movement, was arrested and removed from the House gallery Tuesday night just before President Bush's State of the Union address, a police spokeswoman said.

Sheehan, who was invited to attend the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., was charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building, said Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. The charge was later changed to unlawful conduct, Schneider said. Both charges are misdemeanors.

Sheehan was taken in handcuffs from the Capitol to police headquarters a few blocks away. Her case was processed as Bush spoke.

Schneider said Sheehan had worn a T-shirt with an anti-war slogan to the speech and covered it up until she took her seat. Police warned her that such displays were not allowed, but she did not respond, the spokeswoman said.

Police handcuffed Sheehan and removed her from the gallery before Bush arrived. Sheehan was to be released on her own recognizance, Schneider said.

"I'm proud that Cindy's my guest tonight," Woolsey said in an interview before the speech. "She has made a difference in the debate to bring our troops home from Iraq."

Woolsey offered Sheehan a ticket to the speech "? Gallery 5, seat 7, row A "? earlier Tuesday while Sheehan was attending an "alternative state of the union" press conference by CODEPINK, a group pushing for an end to the Iraq war.

Sheehan, wrapped in a bright pink scarf against the cold, protested outside the White House with a handful of others before heading to the Capitol Tuesday evening. There were no cameras around, but the small band faced the executive mansion and repeatedly shouted, "You're evicted! Get out of our house!"

Sheehan was arrested in September with about 300 other anti-war activists in front of the White House after a weekend of protests against the war in Iraq. In August, she spent 26 days camped near Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he was spending a working vacation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/state_of_...kxBHNlYwN0bQ--

[starbuck]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11120353/

charges to be dropped

[PVVikeFan]

I know the woman lost a son in Iraq, and I hate that for her. But she has turned into a real nut case. I think losing her son was the beginning of going insane for her. I don't mean that in jest. I honestly think she has has lost her mind. I feel so sorry for her. I can't imagine how I would feel in her place. But hopefully it would not make me lose touch with reality.

[Hokie]

i think it's good that they dropped the charges. I mean honestly what harm was she doing just sitting there wearing a t-shirt? What law was she breaking?

And to be fair if you read the 2nd article that was posted a Republican's wife was taken out (not arrested however) for wearing a shirt saying support the troops- the police told her that was protesting and they were treating her the same as they did sheehan.

[imported_yomama]

I read on cnn.com that initially back in 2004 she met with Bush after her son was killed. She wanted to talk about her son to Bush and tried to show Bush a picture of her son, but Bush didn't want to talk about it or see the picture. I think if I was a mom, the president acting indifferent about me losing a son, would probably make me change my mind about the war in Iraq. He should've showed some compassion for a grieving mom.

Wow, I have a friend who works for the capitol city police, I hope he got in on tha action.

[mm38nut]

I guess she lost the only thing she had...Sometimes when we loose something that means so much too us, well emotions take over and sometimes we can't control ourselves...As a mother myself my heart goes out to her..

[Herbie_Husker]

Cindy Sheehan's son knew the risks when he signed up for the military and I doubt he would want her to do that.
Just My Opinion

[PVVikeFan]

She has changed a lot since she first lost her son. Her position on the war has changed, her opinion on our military has changed, her opinion of our government has changed.
When here son was killed she came out in support of the war and in support of President Bush. Since that time she has been used by anti war activists. It is almost like she has been brain washed. She has done an about face on everything she said in the beginning. She is being used as a pawn and does not seem to realize it. And now her behavior is really getting to the "freaky" point.