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Six Arrested at DADT White House Protest

Six Arrested at DADT White House Protest

Protesters surrounded the White House Tuesday morning demanding that they take quicker action to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell." A group of six military-veteran activists, which included Lt. Dan Choi, handcuffed themselves to the gate of the White House in silent protest for gay and lesbian service members. GetEqual.org organized the DADT protest.

Protesters surrounded the White House Tuesday morning demanding that they take quicker action to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

A group of six military-veteran activists, which included Lt. Dan Choi, handcuffed themselves to the northern gate of the White House in silent protest, according to Huffington Post.

Standing with his arms locked behind him, Choi called on Obama "to take bold action, to show firm resolve and real leadership" and "to make good on [his] promise" to repeal DADT.

"[H]e has the opportunity to transmit to Congress, through the Defense Authorization Bill, the repeal language," said Choi, who was arrested in a similar protest weeks ago after chaining himself to the White House gates.

The other LGBT discharged veterans that made a statement Tuesday morning were Capt. Jim Pietrangelo II, Petty Officer Larry Whitt, Petty Officer Autumn Sandeen, Cadet Mara Boyd and Cpl. Evelyn Thomas.

GetEqual.org organized the protest, the same group behind the protest at Obama's fundraiser in California Monday where supporters of the DADT repeal made it clear to the president that they be heard.

"We were here over 30 days ago demanding that the president add repeal language into the Defense Authorization bill," said Robin McGehee, co-founder of GetEqual. "He has not shown leadership to do that as of this time... [And] we don't believe that you need to be delaying the service members who are suffering under this policy any longer."

Asked whether Monday and Tuesday's protest was a sign of things to come, McGehee, replied, "Absolutely. In our opinion we need equality all across the United States for all LGBT Americans. Service members are one group of people who are treated unjustly, but there are people who suffer..."

"At our national dinner he said: 'Pressure me,'" she added. "We're here to do it, that's what we're here to do."

The group of protesters arrived at noon, after which they very casually chained themselves to the fence. They stood in silence for several minutes and Choi offered his statement.

Roughly 45 minutes in, Secret Service agents began cutting off the protesters' handcuffs and placing each member into a police wagon. By 1 o'clock, everyone had been removed from the fence.

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