This evening, Mayor Vince Gray and several D.C. Councilmembers were arrested by Capitol Police as part of a demonstration in support of D.C. voting rights and autonomy.
Anywhere between 150 and 200 people attended the planned rally this afternoon, including Gray, D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown and Councilmembers Tommy Wells, Muriel Bowser, Yvette Alexander, Sekou Biddle and Michael A. Brown. This morning, Gray spoke out about the recent budget deal which included riders forcing vouchers and an abortion funding ban on the District, saying that he would have preferred a shutdown over “D.C. becoming the compromise” and that it was “hugely disappointing” that “both parties are in a situation where they aren’t respecting our rights.” He echoed those remarks during tonight’s protest.
“Don’t let today be a single moment,” Gray told the crowd, also promising to get the abortion and voucher riders out of the bill. “It’s time for respect,” he added. Gray and the Councilmembers then sat in the middle of Constitution Avenue at 1st Street NE for about 20 minutes before police took action, arresting several citizens, including DC Vote Public Affairs Director Eugene Kinlow as crowds chanted “don’t tread on D.C., we demand democracy.”
The police initially appeared reluctant to arrest Gray and the the Councilmembers, but eventually made their way through the line around 6:05 p.m., arresting Gray, Kwame Brown, Michael Brown, Wells, Alexander, Bowser, Biddle and Shadow Representative Mike Panetta. Mayor Gray and the arrested Councilmembers were being processed at 67 K Street SW and should be released around 7:30 p.m. this evening as of 10:10, were still in custody.
During last fall’s mayoral campaign, Gray said that he would be willing to go to jail as part of civil disobedience exercises for statehood, but added that he’d go “only if anyone here goes with me.”
The last mayor to be arrested while in office was Sharon Pratt Kelly, who was arrested during a similar rally in 1993. Gray, of course, worked under Kelly’s administration as the Director of the D.C. Department of Human Services.
NBCWashington.com has the video of Gray and Wells being arrested:
View more videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com.
Photos and reporting contributed by Martin Austermuhle.
