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             Hundreds Arrested as Protesters March on Capitol Hill

   by Esha Sarai

   Approximately 300 protesters were arrested Monday after marching on the
   U.S. Capitol with a list of demands and calling themselves Democracy
   Awakening, according to U.S. Capitol Police.

   Resembling the Occupy Wall Street movement, the group is protesting
   "big" and "dark" money in politics. Its stated goal is "Coming together
   to awaken a democracy that is accessible to all and is not beholden to
   big money interests."

   The group says this is a necessary act of civil disobedience that will
   mark this generation.

   A platform set up outside Union Station welcomed headliners such as
   NAACP President Cornell Brooks and Chris Shelton, the president of the
   Communications Workers of America Union. Spanish and sign language
   interpreters also were on the platform, interpreting the speeches as
   well as a pledge of non-violence by participants before the march.

   Marchers to the Capitol held signs and shouted slogans against big
   money in politics. Protesters shook their fists at the windows of U.S.
   Senate buildings, chanting, "Do your job."

   Hundreds of marchers refused to heed warnings to vacate the Capitol
   steps or risk being arrested. Many of the protesters had planned to be
   arrested.

   `Get money out of politics'

   One of the more than 200 organizations that have endorsed the movement
   and were present Monday was the American Federation of Labor and
   Congress of Industrial Organizations. AFL-CIO communications director
   Eric Hauser said organized laborers and workers have always been
   involved in any political issues that he calls "broadly democracy
   grounded."

   "That can mean immigration, the workers' rights act, economic justice
   that want to be not just a part of, but a driving part of, the
   coalescing of those themes because they really do fall under one
   banner," he said.

   Not all protesters were representing an organization. Mother and son
   team Deborah and Joshua McCunn flew eight hours to march with the
   protesters.

   "Me and my mom flew here from Washington state and we're here to
   protest for equal voting rights for everyone and to take corporate
   money out of the political system," said Joshua, 33, wearing an
   American flag as a cape. "We are not affiliated with any of the groups,
   we're just citizens."

   "We feel strongly it's time to get money out of politics and everybody
   deserves to vote," his mother said.

   The group is a continuation of Democracy Spring, a sit-in at the
   Capitol that began last week. Capitol Police report that 1,240 arrests
   have been made since the beginning of these demonstrations April 11.

   The role of money in politics has been increasingly called into
   question this election year, especially as Democratic presidential
   candidate Bernie Sanders denounces Wall Street. Even actor George
   Clooney spoke out this week, calling the amount of money he has raised
   for Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton "obscene."
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/hundreds-arrested-protesters-march-capitol-hill-washington/3291037.html