UPDATED !!!! Capitol Police ARREST Protesters

If you cannot see the videos in this post CLICK HERE

 UPDATE: When Originally Reported by Philip Rucker At the Washington Post it was reported as Obamacare Protesters at  Senator Michael Bennet's Office. He has since changed his story to Joe Lieberman's office, and he isn't sure what they were protesting.

Hours before the rally began, Capitol Police arrested nine protesters in the Hart Senate Office Building and charged them with unlawful entry. It was unclear whether the protesters were affiliated with the Tea Party protests or were with other groups. They were arrested about 10 a.m. in the seventh-floor office of  Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman 

Roll Call is reporting that the protesters were from Code Pink not the health care protest group:

In an unrelated incident, nine activists were arrested in the Hart building, and they are being processed at police headquarters, but Roll Call is reporting that these were protesters from the opposite end of the political spectrum - Code Pink. All the buildings in the Capitol complex remain open for now.

I apologize to Senator Bennet and most importantly to my readers for believing the mainstream media without getting a second source.

Since then there were Tea Party Protesters arrested...but in Nancy Pelosi's office apparently for Shredding copies of the House version of the healthcare bill.This is from the Plum Line Blog at WAPO:

A Dozen Demonstrators Arrested At Pelosi’s Office — Shredded Copies Of Health Bill

Looks like the demonstrators really are serious about storming the Congressional barricades.

A dozen people were arrested this afternoon in or just outside of Nancy Pelosi’s office, some for unlawful entry and others for disorderly conduct, the Capitol Police confirm, adding that some of the arrested were throwing papers around.

Four demonstrators were arrested for refusing to leave her office in the Canon House Office Building, and eight more were arrested for unlawful or disorderly conduct, Capitol Police spokesperson Kimberly Schneider tells our reporter, Amanda Erickson.

Apparently those who were arrested outside her office were also throwing papers in the hallway, the spokesperson says. It couldn’t immediately be determined what sort of papers the demonstrators were tossing or why the paperwork ticked them off.

This is less serious than arrests at Pelosi’s office in the Capitol itself would have been, but a dozen for unlawful entry and disorderly conduct is definitely noteworthy. More soon.
****************************************
Update: Pelosi spokesperson Drew Hammill confirms that the demonstrators were Operation Rescue people and that they were shredding copies of the health care bill.

Amanda Carpenter is reporting that one protester was "man-handled"

Things also got rough for Smart Girl Politics Founder Teri Cristoph who says she was physically rebuffed by a senior staffer for Rep. Gerry Connelly, Virginia Democrat.

Ms. Cristoph, a Burke resident, attended the "House call" event and attempted to meet with her congressman and interview him about health care legislation. When she arrived at the office she was questioned by Connelly's staff about her camcorder. They told her she was not permitted to video tape because she was not press. At this point, she says Mr. Connelly's Communications Director, George Burke, used some degree of force against her.

"He put his whole body into me so I would put the camera down," she said, although she noted it was not an aggressive assault. "He bumped into my right arm and his staffers saw it. I was shocked that he physically ran into me. it was not accidental."

Ms. Cristoph contacted the Washington Times about the incident at roughy 3pm. Multiple messages to Mr. Burke's cell phone and email over the last two hours have not been returned.

Read Teri's account on Her blog here


Michelle Bachman said that their would be days like this. Early reports are that thousands of protesters have shown up at the US Capitol today to push home the point that they do NOT want Obamacare.


One Senator, Michael Bennet (D) of Colorado was not to happy to see his constituents. They showed up at his Hart Office building office asking to meet with the Senator in his Hart Senate Office building. Instead of a meeting with the Senator, they got a meeting with the Capitol Police The protesters were arrested about 10 a.m. were charged with unlawful entry, a Capitol Police spokeswoman said.


Looks as if the Democrats are following the President's advice regarding blocking Dissent:

Tea partiers hit Capitol

By JONATHAN ALLEN & MEREDITH SHINER Thousands of Tea Party activists descended on Washington Thursday to protest the trillion dollar health care bill and government spending, holding signs protesting Barack Obama’s agenda while aiming chants of “you work for us” at the Capitol building. .

The gathering was organized by local Tea Party groups around the country, who are arriving in Washington this morning by the busload. Conservative leaders in Congress, led by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), have taken to the airwaves to encourage the activists to show up on the Capitol steps and demand meetings with members of Congress. The crowd is expected to grow into the thousands by noon, when Bachmann has promised to lead some protesters to a press conference inside the Capitol to express their opposition to the health care bill in person to members of Congress.

The arrived as early as 8:30 a.m., by bus, car and plane — from Bluffton, S.C., Des Moines and Dorris, Calif. — to rally with conservative lawmakers and possibly roam the halls of Congress.

"Can you hear us now!" they chanted from the foot of the Capitol, as they awaited the arrival of their heroine — Bachmann.

"She's very brave," said Nancy Holmberg of Dorris.

"Palin/Bachmann 2012," came a shout from the crowd. The crowd is also chanting Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s name and demanding that she come address them on the steps of the Capitol.

Another hero of the movement, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), has been autographing tea bags for the crowd and is wearing a jacket covered in pins and stickers reading “Yes! Freedom!”

Speaking on conservative talker Laura Ingraham’s radio show this morning, Bachmann encouraged people listening to show up on the West Front steps, but she said they should show up with “cameras” instead of “pitchforks.”

A Capitol Police spokeswoman confirmed to POLITICO that nine activists were arrested in the Hart building, and they are being processed at police headquarters. All the buildings in the Capitol complex remain open for now.

The protesters, who are occupying the patch of grass only a few yards from where Barack Obama took the oath of office on Jan. 20, have also chanted “you work for us!” Many are holding signs that echo their distrust of Obama and their belief that he is pursuing socialist policies.

Last night, Bachmann reasserted a claim that Pelosi was considering tightening security in preparation for the activists, which she warned "would be a huge mistake." There has been an increased police presence around the Capitol Thursday morning, and a Capitol Police officer told POLITICO that protesters are allowed to march on the West front lawn of the Capitol, but are not allowed onto the steps of the building.

Mary Beth Bishop of Monument, Colo., spent $500 on a plane ticket to lodge her complaints about the growth of government.

"We need to show up and uphold the Constitution," she said. "It wasn't written on toilet paper."

Police patrolled the gates and stone walls keeping the crowd in but there was little sign of trouble.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) shook hands at a wall line like a presidential contender. This is too great," he said.