LOCAL : 66 Arrested During El Salvador Protest at L.A. Federal Building
Activist-actor Martin Sheen and several clergymen were among 66 people arrested this morning during a demonstration at the downtown Federal Building protesting U.S. involvement in El Salvador.
About 300 protesters gathered at 8 a.m., many locking arms as they sat in front of the building’s westside doors.
Nine protesters lay down at the building’s entrance and were covered with sheets splattered with red paint. Others placed chains and padlocks on door handles to try to keep employees from entering the building.
The arrested protesters were cited for trespassing on federal property and released on $25 bail, said Mary Filippini, a spokeswoman for the Federal Police.
Many clergymen, including Catholic Archbishop Roger Mahony, attended the demonstration to protest the recent killing of six Jesuit priests and two women in El Salvador. The demonstrators were protesting U.S. aid to the Salvadoran government in its fight against leftist rebels.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
