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Protest interrupts state Senate

A Washington state Senate security officer, left, instructs demonstrators to leave the gallery at the state Capitol in Olympia on Tuesday, after they voiced their opposition to the Iraq war. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review
A Washington state Senate security officer, left, instructs demonstrators to leave the gallery at the state Capitol in Olympia on Tuesday, after they voiced their opposition to the Iraq war. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

OLYMPIA – A small group of Iraq war protesters interrupted Senate floor debate Tuesday night, standing up one by one in the public gallery, flashing the peace sign and calling for the war to end.

The Senate broke for its regularly scheduled dinner break and the 10 protesters were peacefully removed from the gallery by security. The group then went down to the Rotunda, where they sat down and held up their hands in the peace sign.

Kenna Stout, an 18-year-old freshman at The Evergreen State College, said the demonstrators wanted to let lawmakers know how they feel about the war, and wanted to show support for Sen. Eric Oemig, D-Kirkland.

Oemig has sponsored a resolution asking that Congress investigate the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq war and possibly consider impeachment of the president and vice president. The measure is not expected to be brought up for a vote.

“There is an anti-war sentiment in this state,” Stout said. “We wanted to voice our opinion.”