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This photo moves me to tears: the knowing look of a brother in arms...No words!
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AMERICAN VETS JUST TOOK DOWN HE BARRYCADES AT THEIR VIETNAM MEMORIAL!
Crowd storms World War II Memorial
Sunday - 10/13/2013, 7:09pm ET
http://www.wtop.com/emedia/wtop/31/3...r=wtop_article World War II veteran Mike Lauriente accepts thanks for his service from demonstrators at the World War II Memorial on Sunday. (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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Lee, Palin speak
WTOP's Jamie Forzato reports
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A World War II vet finds it 'overwhelming'
WTOP's Jamie Forzato reports
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At the memorial
WTOP's Jamie Forzato reports
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'Tear down that wall'
WTOP's Jamie Forzato reports
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WASHINGTON - Thousands of people converged on the World War II Memorial on the National Mall on Sunday morning and tore down the barricades blocking it off, protesting the closure of the memorial during the federal government shutdown.
Beginning at about 9:30 a.m., Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, as well as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, were among the luminaries in a crowd that chanted "Tear down these walls!" and sang "God Bless America" as well as other patriotic songs as they entered the memorial, which has been closed since the government shutdown that began Oct. 1.
Tractor-trailers headed down 17th Street toward the Mall, blaring their horns. The Metropolitan Police Department blocked off the street, prompting the crowd to head up the street, shouting at the police to move their vehicles.
Palin said that closing the memorials was disgraceful, and that President Obama "could be here today, saying 'Yes, we can tear down these barricades."
Cruz said that President Obama was using veterans as political pawns in the shutdown. Lee shouted, "The sons and daughters of the United States of America are meant to live in liberty."
By 11 a.m., the group had headed back to the memorial, and dozens congregated around World War II veterans, shaking their hands and thanking them for their service.
Later in the morning, veteran Mike Lauriente was accepting handshakes from demonstrators. He served in Sicily and French Morocco, and declared the memorial, which he was seeing for the first time, beautiful. "The spirit that I see here is overwhelming."
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Noreen Grimm stands next to her husband David Grimm, both from Pittsburgh, Pa., holding a portrait of President George Washington during a rally at the World War II Memorial Sunday. (AP/Alex Brandon)
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A protester speaks to people gathered at a rally at the World War II Memorial Sunday, has leaders in the U.S. Senate have taken the helm in the search for a deal to end the partial government shutdown and avert a federal default. (AP/Alex Brandon)
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People rally at the World War II Memorial Sunday. The rally was organized to protest the closure of the Memorial and access to it by World War II veterans who traveled there on Honor Flight visits. (AP/Alex Brandon)
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Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, demonstrates at the World War II Memorial Sunday to protest, as she said, how politicians used "your hard-earned tax money to barricade the memorials" during the federal government shutdown. She called it a "slimdown," saying it only halted a small part of the "bloated" government. (AP/Alex Brandon)
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"Increased police presence around White House but not a large crowd here. Some vets but rest are tourists." (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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"A line forms to shake hand of WWII vet Mike Lauriente." (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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"Now portion of Independence blocked." (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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"Cars honking in support, demonstrators cheering. One demonstrator says 'This is a peaceful demonstration'." (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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"Cruz: They stormed the beaches of Normandy. Do they think these little barricades can keep us out?" (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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"Huge crowd now, thousands at WWII Memorial." (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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"Cruz: Obama should be standing with vets, not using as political pawns." (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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"Sarah Palin, Sens. Mike Lee, Ted Cruz at WWII demonstration." (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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"Jo Ann from Kentucky holds this sign in honor of her WWII vet dad." (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
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I see Greta there.