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The protesters later sat down on the pedestrian walkway in front of the W hite House knowing they would be arrested and began singing and chan ting "Stop the war now!" Police warned them three times that they were breaking the law by failing to move along, then began making arrests.
She smiled as she was carr ied to the curb, then stood up and walked to a police vehicle as protest ers chanted, "The whole world is watching." Scott Fear, spokesman for the US Park Police, said about 370 prote sters were arrested over four and a half hours. All but one were charged with demonstrating without a permit, a misdemeanor. Sheehan's 24-year-old son, Casey, was killed last year in an ambush in Sa dr City, Iraq. She attracted worldwide attention last month with her 26- day vigil outside Bush's Texas ranch. Monday's demonstration was part of a broader anti-war effort on Capitol H ill organized by United for Peace and Justice, an umbrella group. Repres entatives from anti-war groups met Monday with members of Congress to ur ge them to work to end the war and to bring the troops home. White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Bush is "very much aware " of the protesters and "recognizes that there are differences of opinio n" on Iraq. "It's the right of the American people to peacefully express their views. And that's what you're seeing here in Washington, DC," McClellan said . "They're well-intentioned, but the president strongly believes that wi thdrawing ... would make us less safe and make the world more dangerous. " The protest Monday followed a massive demonstration Saturday that drew a crowd of 100,000 or more, the largest such gathering in the capital sinc e the war began in March 2003. On Sunday, a rally supporting the war drew about 500 people. Speakers inc luded veterans of World War II and the war in Iraq, as well as family me mbers of soldiers killed in Iraq. She said the anti-war demonstrations "can affect the war in a really negative way.
Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, center, is escorted by members of th e US Park Police as she is arrested while protesting in front of the W hite House, Monday, Sept. Sheehan and several do zen other protesters sat down on the sidewalk after marching along the p edestrian walkway on Pennsylvania Avenue.
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