BREAKING: More civil disobedience–sit in in McCain’s office

H.E.R.O.

GetEqual Tweets

UPDATES BELOW

MAJOR UPDATE: WE NOW KNOW THAT THE ACTIVISTS SITTING IN AT MCCAIN’S OFFICE ARE FROM A GROUP KNOWN AS H.E.R.O. If you’re in the Phoenix area today at 5pm, please join H.E.R.O. and their supporters for a rally at McCain’s office!

Apparently the Equality Across America organization, born out of the National Equality March, has been inspired by GetEqual. According to a few sources trickling out of Phoenix, five activists are staging in a sit in at McCain’s office there. Please call to tell McCain’s staff he needs to support the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” (602) 952-2410

I will deliver the news as it comes.

UPDATE 1–2:24pm CT

The Advocate has released as much information as they could find:

ADVOCATE: Protesters Stake Out McCain’s Office on DADT:

Five protesters affiliated with Get Equal are demonstrating at Sen. John McCain’s office to garner his support for a repeal on “don’t ask, don’t tell.” The organization is asking for people to contact McCain’s office to voice their support for ending the ban on gay and lesbian service members serving openly in the military. Shortly following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address in January, in which he announced he wanted to repeal the ban, McCain issued his own statement, calling the repeal a “mistake.”

I have yet to see any statements from EAA or GetEqual as of yet. According to an email blast sent out by EAA board member Nik Maciejewski, one of those present at the sit in is GetEQUAL’s Alan Bounville who Wednesday was among those who interrupted a House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee Hearing to demand movement on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

UPDATE 2–2:39pm CT

There is confusion as to whether this is an action by GetEQUAL or if it is an action by Equality Across America. Also, I reported earlier that Alan Bounville is present, however, it seems he merely sent out the early alert to the people who first tweeted. I’m not sure if he’s there or not now. All we know is that five protesters were staging an anti-DADT protest in McCain’s office this morning and may very well be arrested now.

UPDATE 3–2:44pm CT
Super-activist and Nationwide Kiss-In co-organizer, David Mallioux, reports Bounville is safe and sound in New York City.

UPDATE 4–2:48pm CT
Check out the updates over at Pam’s House Blend. Louise over there has kindly linked to and quoted this blog post.

UPDATE 5–3:09pm CT

Update!

UPDATE 6–3:14pm CT

NT Update

UPDATE 7–3:17pm CT
Joe Mirabella of Bilerico.com emailed me the following: “Neither EAA or GetEqual had prior knowledge of this sit-in according to reliable sources. I’m also hearing, that First Class Petty Officer Lonnie Allen is one of the 5 people sitting-in.”

Additionally I’ve been updated that the group responsible for this is called “H.E.R.O.” According to activists from AZ: “A subsequent rally will take place tonight at 5 pm. John McCain’s office 5353 North 16 St, Phoenix in support of those arrested and calling for DADT repeal.”

H.E.R.O.

UPDATE 8–3:24pm CT
Sara Beth Brooks, an awesome activist, has tweeted these pictures: http://bit.ly/deHGFh

This entry was posted on Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 12:46 pm and is filed under Politics & Activism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.