Two protesters advocating for the legalization of recreational marijuana are arrested after attempting to storm into the Washington D.C. office of a Maryland Congressman.
U.S. Capitol Police say the incident happened Tuesday afternoon around 12:15 outside of Congressman Andy Harris' office located in room 1533 of the Longworth House Office Building.
Responding officers arrested two demonstrators after observing them lighting marijuana cigarettes.
The suspects were identified as 28-year-old Kristin Furnish of Salisbury and RachelRamon Donlan,46, of Washington, D.C.
Each was charged with 21 USC 844(a), possession and D.C. Code § 48-911.01, Consumption of Marijuana in Public Space Prohibited; Impairment prohibited.
According to a Harris spokesperson, the lawmaker sustained a bruised wrist from a door the protestors tried to force their way through.
Harris also released the following statement:
Today’s aggression by protesters who disagree with my position on the legalization of recreational marijuana demonstrates the problem with political discourse today. We all must agree to have a civilized debate when disagreement occurs. My parents fled communist Eastern Europe where people with different political opinions were harassed and punished, and it has no place in America. I reject the recent comments of one of my House colleagues who encouraged harassment of political opponents, saying 'You get out and you create a crowd and you push back on them, and you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.’ As Rep. Steve Scalise understands all too well and tweeted today — 'Assaulting anyone because you disagree with them is NEVER acceptable.
