114 Disabled Protesters Arrested in Capitol
More than 200 chanting protesters in wheelchairs swarmed into the Capitol on Monday, throwing themselves on the floor and blocking hallways to demand federal programs that would allow the disabled to live on their own. Capitol Police, assisted by physicians and translators for the hearing-impaired, arrested 114 of the demonstrators when they refused repeated requests to leave.
Several of the protesters chained their wheelchairs together and spread sleeping bags across the tiled corridors, saying they were prepared to camp out until congressional leaders agreed to address their concerns.
The arrests were made on charges of unlawful entry or demonstrating in the Capitol, both misdemeanors.
The organizers of Monday’s protest are members of an advocacy group called ADAPT, which is in Washington for three days of demonstrations to urge changes in federal policies that would allow greater numbers of disabled people to live independently instead of in nursing homes. Specifically, they are asking that 25% of Medicaid funds spent on nursing homes be shifted to in-home care programs.
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