Good morning, Washington. The National Air and Space Museum closed Saturday and at least one person was pepper-sprayed after hundreds of anti-war demonstrators tried to enter the museum to protest a drone exhibit. The group was carrying signs that are forbidden inside, and some individuals reportedly began shoving guards when asked to leave the signage at the door.
Police said one woman was arrested.
The group included protesters from both the October 2011 Stop the Machine demonstration and Occupy D.C. The makeup of the group was unclear yesterday, and the incident epitomized the challenge of keeping the protesters straight.
The targeted exhibit, “Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,” showcases six modern military UAVs. Protesters that had been inside the museum before the larger group arrived unrolled a protest banner that read, “No Drones — End Afghan War.”
David Swanson, 41, of Charlottesville, Va., who was part of the protest and among the dozens sickened by the pepper spray, has his account of what happened at WarIsACrime.org. Swanson disputes that only one person was pepper sprayed.
While the disturbance took place in the entrance vestibule, some of the mace got inside the museum, which is why it was forced to close. DCist confirmed with museum spokeswoman Isabel Lara that the museum is open today.
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