8 Democratic Reps Arrested at DC Immigration Protest

After lawmakers supported veterans in flooding DC's WWII memorial last week, the civil disobedience by congress members continued yesterday, with eight Democrats getting arrested at the National Mall during an immigration reform rally. The demonstration was intended to push Congress to pass immigration reform legislation, but also succeeded in pushing Reps. Joseph Crowley, Charles Rangel, Keith Ellison, Al Green, Luis Gutierrez, Jan Schakowsky, Raul Grijalva, and John Lewis into handcuffs, after they sat down in the middle of the street and blocked traffic with about 150 others, the New York Times reports.

"I’ve been arrested a few times, and I don’t mind getting arrested again for something that is right and fair and just," Lewis told Politico. In addition to those who were arrested, thousands of others gathered at the Mall to protest, shouting "Si se puede!” in a chant led by Nancy Pelosi. Tackling the really important issue, opponents said the protest shouldn't have been allowed to take place—because the National Mall should be closed due to the shutdown. "The Mall is supposed to be shut," said the leader of one anti-immigration group, per the Times. "Why is the Park Service helping illegal immigrant groups and desperate labor unions to have a rally today?" (More immigration reform stories.)