Lt Choi, arrested at White House
LT. DAN CHOI AND CPT. JIM PIETRANGELO ARRESTED AFTER CHAINING THEMSELVES TO WHITE HOUSE FENCE IN 'DADT' PROTEST
Developing...refresh for updates below...(images via twitter)
According to Tweets from Robin McGehee at GetEqual (see stream below) reporting from the Kathy Griffin - Human Rights Campaign "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rally, McGehee, who is traveling with Lt. Dan Choi, asked Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese if Choi could speak at the rally and he rebuffed her, telling her it was Kathy Griffin's rally.
McGehee is the co-director of the National Equality March and the organizer of the Meet in the Middle 4 Equality rallies in California.
Choi took the stage anyway, told Griffin DADT is not a joke, and announced that he was marching to the White House. Choi then began leading hundreds on a march to the White House. Reports are now coming in that Choi has chained himself to the White House fence.
"Until we have full equality," Choi reportedly says.
Choi and Captain Jim Pietrangelo are reportedly both handcuffed to the White House fence.
1:10 pm: According to DC Agenda's Tweet, "Yellow police tape is being put up around Dan Choi, and Secret Service agents are standing with him. Choi remains chained."
Approximately seven Secret Service Agents are inside the tape with Choi.
Reportedly one woman has been arrested, and is being identified by DC Agenda as the co-chair of GetEqual - which would be Robin McGehee.
1:21 pm: According to D.C. Agenda, police are not attempting to disperse the crowd and 20 Secret Service are on the scene. A crowd of 50 is chanting "Keep your promise, Obama" and "Repeal DADT".
1:27 pm: DC Agenda reports that there appears to be a stand-off between Choi and security. No effort is being made to arrest him.
1:32 pm: DC Agenda says the crowd has shrunk to 30 people.
1:37 pm: DC Agenda reports that people have been directed to stand at Lafayette Square. Two Secret Service officers are speaking with Pietrangelo and Choi, and it's not clear what's happening.
GetEqual's Robin McGehee was the woman arrested, it is confirmed. According to @MichaelsThought on Twitter, McGehee was shouting, "GET EQUAL!"You want your rights?! THEN FIGHT FOR THEM!" Photo:
And here's a photo of Robin McGehee being arrested:
1:44 pm: DC Agenda reports a female woman "is kneeling in the crowd with hands raised, praying for the souls of gay people."
Here's what Dan Choi said at the rally - HIS REMARKS - right before he took the crowd on the march to the White House.
1:48 pm: Joe Sudbay at Americablog reports via Twitter that the crowd in front of the White House is growing.
1:55 pm: Police just informed the crowd that everyone must leave the sidewalk in front of the White House or be arrested, according to MetroWeekly. Choi and Pietrangelo are the only two remaining.
1:58 pm: Lt. Dan Choi and Captain Jim Pietrangelo have been removed from the fence and arrested.
2:02 pm: Choi and Pietrangelo get cheers from the crowd as they are put into police van. Crowd applauds them as heroes.
Tweets Michelangelo Signorile: "Dan Choi took HRC's and @kathygriffin 's celebrity photo op and turned it into a real protest at White House. And they stayed behind."
CNN and MSNBC seem to have totally ignored this protest.
Developing...refresh for updates below...(images via twitter)
According to Tweets from Robin McGehee at GetEqual (see stream below) reporting from the Kathy Griffin - Human Rights Campaign "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rally, McGehee, who is traveling with Lt. Dan Choi, asked Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese if Choi could speak at the rally and he rebuffed her, telling her it was Kathy Griffin's rally.
McGehee is the co-director of the National Equality March and the organizer of the Meet in the Middle 4 Equality rallies in California.
Choi took the stage anyway, told Griffin DADT is not a joke, and announced that he was marching to the White House. Choi then began leading hundreds on a march to the White House. Reports are now coming in that Choi has chained himself to the White House fence.
"Until we have full equality," Choi reportedly says.
Choi and Captain Jim Pietrangelo are reportedly both handcuffed to the White House fence.
1:10 pm: According to DC Agenda's Tweet, "Yellow police tape is being put up around Dan Choi, and Secret Service agents are standing with him. Choi remains chained."
Approximately seven Secret Service Agents are inside the tape with Choi.
Reportedly one woman has been arrested, and is being identified by DC Agenda as the co-chair of GetEqual - which would be Robin McGehee.
1:21 pm: According to D.C. Agenda, police are not attempting to disperse the crowd and 20 Secret Service are on the scene. A crowd of 50 is chanting "Keep your promise, Obama" and "Repeal DADT".
1:27 pm: DC Agenda reports that there appears to be a stand-off between Choi and security. No effort is being made to arrest him.
1:32 pm: DC Agenda says the crowd has shrunk to 30 people.
1:37 pm: DC Agenda reports that people have been directed to stand at Lafayette Square. Two Secret Service officers are speaking with Pietrangelo and Choi, and it's not clear what's happening.
GetEqual's Robin McGehee was the woman arrested, it is confirmed. According to @MichaelsThought on Twitter, McGehee was shouting, "GET EQUAL!"You want your rights?! THEN FIGHT FOR THEM!" Photo:
And here's a photo of Robin McGehee being arrested:
1:44 pm: DC Agenda reports a female woman "is kneeling in the crowd with hands raised, praying for the souls of gay people."
Here's what Dan Choi said at the rally - HIS REMARKS - right before he took the crowd on the march to the White House.
1:48 pm: Joe Sudbay at Americablog reports via Twitter that the crowd in front of the White House is growing.
1:55 pm: Police just informed the crowd that everyone must leave the sidewalk in front of the White House or be arrested, according to MetroWeekly. Choi and Pietrangelo are the only two remaining.
1:58 pm: Lt. Dan Choi and Captain Jim Pietrangelo have been removed from the fence and arrested.
2:02 pm: Choi and Pietrangelo get cheers from the crowd as they are put into police van. Crowd applauds them as heroes.
Tweets Michelangelo Signorile: "Dan Choi took HRC's and @kathygriffin 's celebrity photo op and turned it into a real protest at White House. And they stayed behind."
CNN and MSNBC seem to have totally ignored this protest.
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