As Twitchy reported yesterday, the administration had no problems trying to lock World War II veterans out of Washington’s war memorials last week, but the red carpet was rolled out on the National Mall today for a previously scheduled immigration reform rally. The Park Service determined that the “Camino Americano: March for Immigrant Dignity and Respect,” sponsored in part by the SEIU and AFL-CIO, was covered under the First Amendment.
Despite the shutdown, there were plenty of Capitol police on hand to greet hundreds of protesters.
Capitol police prepping for arrests at the immigration protest pic.twitter.com/nuY5wgb6FM
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) October 8, 2013
Hundreds of immigration protesters preparing to be arrested outside the Capitol pic.twitter.com/tzwQkHADvO
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) October 8, 2013
https://twitter.com/Roy__Rogers/status/387667203077599232
"This is what America looks like" If you're one of the #11Million, police here make this esp. true #TimeIsNow! pic.twitter.com/wajGn6Rx3R
— SEIU (@SEIU) October 8, 2013
Hundreds of #ImmigrationReform activists refusing to move off 1st St. Arrests appear imminent. @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/ttKrpz06UV
— Kristin Fisher (@KristinFisher) October 8, 2013
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/387637721780744192
Several of those on hand for the march were members of Congress, and several were arrested, including Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/387678128568815617
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/387682976915402753
Members of Congress, including @LuisGutierrez, preparing to get themselves arrested to push for immigration reform. pic.twitter.com/SmdgOmB3Zc
— Alan Gomez (@alangomez) October 8, 2013
https://twitter.com/BenjySarlin/status/387670258158686208
.@RepJohnLewis being led away in plastic handcuffs. Arrest No. 45 in the books #gapol #gadems http://t.co/aIowfqxgLp
— Tia Mitchell, AJC’s Washington Correspondent (@ajconwashington) October 8, 2013
RT @elisefoley: Here's Keith Ellison getting arrested for the immigration civil disobedience http://t.co/jfqjK15QXF
— Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) October 8, 2013
My colleagues and I are not afraid to get arrested for what we believe is important to move America forward… https://t.co/Mas22yWyfU
— Charles Rangel (@cbrangel) October 8, 2013
Proudly standing up for immigration reform. "This is what democracy looks like." https://t.co/lBT32Xq4yp
— Charles Rangel (@cbrangel) October 8, 2013
The people have spoken! #timeisnow @cbrangel @LuisGutierrez #citizenship2013 Amazing! pic.twitter.com/MF6xLGKbAg
— FJYoda (@fmj133) October 8, 2013
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/387671711602462720
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/387672734047928320
Sen Bob Menendez: Welcome to YOUR Capitol…it is in the natl security interest of the US to pass reform #NoAmnesty #immigration
— FAIR (@FAIRImmigration) October 8, 2013
Pelosi leading crowd in chants of si se puede at immigration rally
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) October 8, 2013
Pelosi to illegal aliens: thank you for making America American … #NoAmnesty #immigration
— FAIR (@FAIRImmigration) October 8, 2013
Rep. Nancy Pelosi reportedly thanked President Obama personally for opening the Mall to the protest.
https://twitter.com/R_U_Srs/status/387663504963940352
Pelosi Thanks Obama For Giving Special Treatment To Pro-Illegal Immigration Protesters Using National Mall … http://t.co/ERECkCJApq
— Harriet Baldwin Text Trump 88022 (@HarrietBaldwin) October 8, 2013
Pres of Amer Fed of Teachers @rweingarten now telling illegal aliens they are "American labor movement" #NoAmnesty #immigration
— FAIR (@FAIRImmigration) October 8, 2013
With immigration reform on the back burner, turnout was far below the tens of thousands who were expected.
"Organizers predicted tens of thousands….But the crowd was considerably smaller" http://t.co/XX1MOusAY0
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey) October 8, 2013
Why do WaPo (and NYT) publish only close-in shots of amnesty rally to make it look bigger than it was? #notjournalism http://t.co/SzedDvRtXF
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey) October 8, 2013
@kausmickey I guess you think they are biased in their photo choices but not in their writing choices since they wrote crowd was small.
— Jerry Skurnik (@PrimeNewYork) October 8, 2013
@PrimeNewYork Correct. A nice long-range shot would be worth … I dunno, a thousand words?
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey) October 8, 2013