UPDATE: 31 arrested in women's rights demonstration at state Capitol
Credit: EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Credit: EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Police dragged some protesters from the steps of the state Capitol before arresting them today.
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Published: March 03, 2012
Updated: March 03, 2012 - 8:37 PM
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