BREAKING NEWS: 13 people chain themselves to White House fence to protest DADT inaction
Photo credit: Chris Geidner/Twitter
Thirteen protesters handcuff themselves to a White House fence today.
WASHINGTON – As the Senate does nothing about repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” nine gay veterans, including San Diegans Autumn Sandeen and Evelyn Thomas, and four activists have handcuffed themselves to a White House fence in protest.
The protesters included Dan Choi and Robin McGehee of GetEQUAL.
Park police cleared the area as soon as the activists began their protest. They shouted their names and urged action on DADT during the lame-duck session of Congress that began today.
According to tweets from GetEQUAL, the protesters are chanting “We want change!” as the Secret Service moves in.
All the protesters will be arrested.
Earlier in the day, the group visited the grave of Sgt. Leonard Matlovich, a gay Vietnam veteran who won the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Matlovich made international headlines in the 1970s when he came out and fought to stay in the Air Force.
Matlovich uttered the memorable line: “When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”
According to GetEQUAL, the group will be conducting a number of protests this week in an attempt to pressure the Senate to vote on DADT.
