Multiple immigration activists have been arrested outside of the women's leadership forum where President Barack Obama is set to speak Friday afternoon, according to reporters present.
The protesters apparently locked their arms together with plastic pipeworks, which police removed with power saws. The activists are likely upset over Obama's decision to back off his promise to enact immigration reform through executive orders by the end of summer.
View some tweets from the protest below.
Cops put masks on protesters and are now power sawing off the PVC pipes they used to attach themselves to each other. pic.twitter.com/xwFm70q4BZ
- Jacob Fischler (@ItsFischy) September 19, 2014
Chained Dreamers about to be arrested outside hotel where Obama will speak @FusionIsNews pic.twitter.com/1fZYhcyJk4
- Fernando Pizarro (@FPizarro_DC) September 19, 2014
First DREAMer arrested outside hotel hours before Obama set to speak pic.twitter.com/P4VVvkAM0t
- Jacob Fischler (@ItsFischy) September 19, 2014
DC Police cutting pipes chaining Dreamers protesting at site of Obama speech @FusionIsNews pic.twitter.com/AtvkVZqqZh
- Fernando Pizarro (@FPizarro_DC) September 19, 2014
Second dreamer gets walked away into police van @BarackObama @NCLR @VP @MichelleObama @latinorebels #not1more @AP pic.twitter.com/2QdwGvwG0H
- Mohan Kanungo (@ParachuteTent) September 19, 2014
Police using circular saw to cut PVC pipe that immigration protesters in DC used to attach themselves to one another pic.twitter.com/WXloeCU2lN
- Maeve Reston (@MaeveReston) September 19, 2014
Law enforcement sawing through PVC pipe connecting #immigration protesters and arresting them one by one pic.twitter.com/XwB9ljRQo9
- Betsy Klein (@betsy_klein) September 19, 2014