Birthday Celebration Leads to Arrest

Dancing, apparently, is now a crime. On April 13th a group of men and women gathered at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C., in celebration of the Founding Father's birthday. The group, comprised of about 20 D.C. residents, planned on quietly and peacefully dancing at the public memorial, which is open 24 hours a day. After gathering, the group was confronted by Park Police officers, and asked to leave. The dancers attempted to reason with the officers, and even offered to move from the rotunda to the front of the steps. Never, at any point, were the demonstrators violent or belligerent, yet, after a few minutes, one of the dancers, 28-year-old Brooke Oberwetter, was arrested after asking the officers what laws she and the group were breaking. The rest of the group, however, was forced to leave and was not allowed to dance. Several hours later, presumably after finding no applicable charges, Oberwetter was released.

It is truly a sad day in America when peaceful demonstrators, gathering quietly in a public place, are harassed by those who are supposed to protect them. What makes this case so poignant is the sheer irony of being arrested while celebrating the legacy of Thomas Jefferson. Perhaps if the Park Police officers read the many Jeffersonian quotes adorning the walls of the memorial, this incident could have been avoided. Is there really any better way to honor the memory of Thomas Jefferson than by allowing free expression, unfettered by authoritarian government bodies?

Click here for the news article.

Unedited videos of the incident: