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23 Gay Rights Protesters Arrested After Blocking Idaho Governor's Office

Add The Words
Adam Cotterell
/
Boise State Public Radio

Twenty-three gay rights activists have been arrested after blocking the entrance to Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's office inside the Idaho Statehouse, the latest in a string of arrests for members of the Add the Words group.

Police say four were charged with trespass, 18 with unlawful assembly and 1 with resisting arrest.

The arrests started Tuesday morning after protesters refused to leave.

The group wants protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation included in the Idaho Human Rights Act, but Republican leaders have declined to hold a hearing on the issue.

Add the Words has held multiple silent protests in the Capitol this year, leading to more than 140 arrests.

Forty-six members of the group were jailed Thursday after blocking Senate committee rooms, forcing lawmakers to scuttle afternoon hearings.

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