Protesters disrupt U.S. House before debt ceiling vote

From Xuan Thai and Lisa Desjardins, CNN
August 1, 2011 4:24 p.m. EDT

Washington (CNN) -- A group of protesters shouting chants against Speaker John Boehner disrupted the U.S. House on Monday before being removed from the chamber.

Capitol Police officers closed down part of the third-floor hallway because of the disturbance, which involved more than a dozen people from a group that two of the protesters identified as National People's Action.

The demonstrators chanted, "Hey, Boehner, get a clue, it's about revenue," before Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Washington, who was presiding over the House at the time, ordered the sergeant at arms to "remove the disturbance from the gallery."

According to reporters on the scene, one man appeared to injure his shoulder as the demonstrators were forced out of the House chamber. Once in the hallway, the protesters resumed chanting, prompting Capitol Police officers to shut down the area.

The protest occurred as the House prepared to vote on a debt ceiling deal that is opposed by liberal groups, who say it harms programs for working-class and needy Americans while failing to assess a fair share of the deficit reduction burden on wealthy Americans.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/08/01/ ... sturbance/