Members of Remove Trump in the Rotunda backing up those sitting in.
➤ IMPEACHMENT, from p.22
York and elsewhere — ended up sitting in a
circle with locked arms facing the tour crowd
that fi lled the Rotunda. The activists were surprised
that it took Capitol Police more than fi ve
minutes to arrive on the scene, and another
few minutes before they issued three rapid-fi re
warnings and began arresting the protesters.
According to Aceto, the police “couldn’t have
been nicer to us.” When plastic handcuffs didn’t
work in restraining Aceto, her arresting offi cer
used metal cuffs, but made sure to check with
her to see that she was not uncomfortable.
The offi cers included men and women, but it
was female offi cers who searched the 10 women
protesters.
In addition to arresting those sitting in, police
also cleared the Rotunda, which included
many of the protesters’ allies.
The arrestees were held for a couple of hours,
with most given “catch and release” treatment
for “crowding, obstructing or incommoding,”
with a fi ne of $50. Several activists, however,
who had additional arrests by Capitol Police
during the recent weeks of Remove Trump activism,
will have to appear in court at a later
date. Aceto said she has been to Washington
several times during the Senate trial for Remove
Trump actions but the February 5 arrest
was her fi rst related to that activism.
By the time the “catch and release” activists
were back on the street, the Senate had voted
for acquittal. All 47 Democrats supported
conviction, and all the GOP senators, with the
exception of Utah’s Mitt Romney on one of the
two impeachment charges, stood with Trump.
When senators were leaving the Capitol, Remove
GEORGE DE CASTRO DAY
Trump activists, including Laurie Arbeiter
were outside making clear that they did
not share the Republicans’ indifference to the
president’s lawlessness.
In addition to Manhattanite Aceto, the
women arrested were Tricia Cooke, a mother
and fi lm editor who is also a New Yorker; Jenny
Fisher, a mother and former civil servant
who worked in the Reagan White House; Lisa
Fithian, an organizer and author from Texas.;
Barbara Schulman, a New York designer; Carla
Boccella, a DC-area nurse; Karen Ziegler,
a retired hospice nurse from North Carolina;
Myra Slotnick, a writer from Provincetown;
Linda Morelli, an American-born activist who
now lives in Venice, Italy; and Wendy Brandes,
a jewelry-maker from New York City.
Americans should thank these 10 women
for their service.
GEORGE DE CASTRO DAY
Laurie Arbeiter outside the Capitol bringing her message to senators who had just blown off their constitutional duty.
GayCityNews.com | February 13 - February 26, 2020 23
/GayCityNews.com
