Sixty Veterans Arrested at DC Parade Protest

Around 60 veterans and military family members were arrested outside the U.S. Capitol after breaching police barriers during a protest against President Donald Trump’s planned $45 million Army anniversary parade and military deployments in Los Angeles. The demonstration, organized by Veterans for Peace and About Face: Veterans Against the War, started peacefully at the Supreme Court before protesters moved to the Capitol, pushed through bike rack barriers, and staged a sit-in on the steps. All arrested participants were charged with unlawful demonstration and crossing a police line, with some also facing charges of assault on police and resisting arrest; two required hospitalization. Protesters criticized the use of military force in American cities and the high parade cost, urging that funds be redirected to social services like housing and health care. The protest took place amid heightened security in Washington, D.C., in advance of the parade, which coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday. Veterans' groups stressed their commitment to constitutional values and their opposition to the politicization and militarization of public spaces.