Beltway Area Indymedia

(AUDIO:3 min 49 seconds)
Hours after charges stemming from the January Gitmo protest were dismissed, members of Catholic Worker, DAWN, and other antiwar groups marched from the courthouse to the White House and staged another Guantanimo Bay protest!

This time around, 30 people lined up in orange jumpsuits and black hoods on the White House sidewalk in the "postcard shot" between the lamp posts.

As horse cops trotted inches from supporters in Lafayette Park, cops prepared to arrest up to 30 protestors with six chained to the White House fence. I have not seen horse cops in DC use this tactic of trotting horses inches from non-law defying supporters since Gulf War I. That time around, it was an effort to move a crowd. This time, it was an effort to intimidate supporters whom cops though MIGHT do something!

The morning court case was interesting. According to a member of Catholic Worker, the next case on the docket was a "sealed trial" of someone with an Arab-sounding name, and the courtroom was unexpectdly filling up with defendants in orange jumpsuits! With real solidarity being shown to whoever was on trial next, the court was getting nervous.

After a quick conference between the judge and the prosecutor, and a call to the prosecutor's boss, all charges were dropped agianst the Catholic Worker defendants. At this point, everyone marched directly from the courthouse to the White House for the unannounced, suprise CD action!

As cops closed in for arrests, I only saw a few people leave when warned, and saw a few arrests directly. I do not know how many people were ultimately arrested, or the new charges.

Can someone post an update here with number arrested, charges, and court dates?

UPDATE POSTED TO DC INDYMEDIA BY JUNE BIENIASZ:
14 persons were arrested and charged with a "stationary demonstration in a restricted area".
Their courtdate is scheduled for July 18th.