UPDATE: 31 arrested in women's rights demonstration at state Capitol | Richmond Times-Dispatch

UPDATE: 31 arrested in women's rights demonstration at state Capitol | Richmond Times-Dispatch:

UPDATE: 31 arrested in women's rights demonstration at state Capitol

Credit: EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH

Virginia State Police guarded the steps of the state Capitol during today's protest by abortion-rights demonstrators.

Credit: EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH

Police dragged some protesters from the steps of the state Capitol before arresting them today.

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Abortion protestors arrested

Brittany Fulk was among the demonstrators made to move back by riot police off the steps of the State Capitol

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By: OLYMPIA MEOLA | Richmond Times Dispatch
Published: March 03, 2012
Updated: March 03, 2012 - 8:37 PM

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RICHMOND, Va. --

8:30 p.m.

Del. Delores L. McQuinn, D-Richmond, tonight spoke out against the arrests of 31 women's rights demonstrators in a protest at the state Capitol earlier today that drew Virginia State Police in riot gear.

She said the arrests "are just the latest example of government overreach that we’ve seen in recent weeks."

"The men and women who marched on Capitol Square have a right to peacefully protest without the threat that they will be arrested for exercising that right," McQuinn said in a news release. "At several recent women’s rights events, there has been an overabundance of police presence. In fact, the Capitol Police tactical team has been at all of the events," she said.

McQuinn said she had "never seen a similar police presence when guns rights advocates assemble on