Advocates Arrested Outside White House
Sixty disability rights activists were arrested while protesting outside the White House Monday.
The demonstrators were among 200 members of the disability rights group ADAPT from across the country who are in Washington this week advocating for greater access to community living.
The group was at the White House to demand a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden who they say has not lived up to a campaign promise to meet with them about how he can champion community living options for people with disabilities.
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“Once he and President Obama were re-elected, Vice President Biden has refused to meet with us. His staff told our leaders that he isn’t even willing to schedule a meeting to explore specifics of his commitment to us,” said Dawn Russell of Colorado ADAPT.
Earlier Monday, ADAPT members demonstrated at the office of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who the group criticized for objecting to the Affordable Care Act, which they say includes many provisions supporting community living options for people with disabilities.
The 60 were arrested outside the White House Monday for “failure to obey a lawful order,” according to Sgt. Paul Brooks of the U.S. Park Police. They were all ticketed and released.
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