US "anti-war mom" arrested outside White House

Cindy Sheehan, the American woman who has used her son's death in Iraq to spur the anti-war movement, was arrested on Monday while protesting outside the White House.

Sheehan and several dozen other protesters sat down on the sidewalk after marching along the pedestrian walkway on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Police warned them three times that they were breaking the law by failing to move along, then began making arrests.

Sheehan, 48, was the first taken into custody. She stood up and was led to a police vehicle while protesters chanted, "The whole world is watching."

Others who were arrested also co-operated with police. Sergeant Scott Fear, spokesman for the US Park Police, said they would be charged with demonstrating without a permit, which is a misdemeanour.

Park Police L.J. McNally said Sheehan and the others would be taken to a processing centre where they would be fingerprinted and photographed, then given a ticket and released. The process would take several hours, he said.

American famous "anti-war mom" Cindy Sheehan and her supporters arrive in Washington, September 21, 2005.

Sheehan's 24-year-old son, Casey, was killed in an ambush in Sadr City, Iraq, last year. She attracted worldwide attention last month with her 26-day vigil outside President George W. Bush's Texas ranch.

Sheehan was among several hundred demonstrators who marched around the White House on Monday and then stopped in front and began singing and chanting "Stop the war now!"

The demonstration is part of a broader anti-war effort organized by United for Peace and Justice, an umbrella group.

Representatives from anti-war groups were meeting on Monday with members of Congress to urge them to work to end the war and bring home the troops.

Source: China Daily