These seven individuals were arrested Wednesday evening in Des Moines when they refused to leave U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin's office and allow the facility to close. A group of 15 had gathered in the office throughout the afternoon to protest continued violence in Gaza and what they perceived as Harkin's inaction.

These seven individuals were arrested Wednesday evening in Des Moines when they refused to leave U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin's office and allow the facility to close. A group of 15 had gathered in the office throughout the afternoon to protest continued violence in Gaza and what they perceived as Harkin's inaction. (Photo provided by demonstration organizers.)

Seven activists were arrested at U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin’s Des Moines office Wednesday night when they refused to end a peaceful demonstration and allow the office to close.

A total of 15 activists had occupied the office beginning at 1:30 p.m. and had alternated reading aloud written accounts of violence from the Gaza Strip. At 6 p.m., when the office was scheduled to close, seven of those individuals refused to leave.

Those arrested range in age from 47 to 90 and are pictured above.  They include Frank Cordaro, Renee Espeland, Ed Bloomer, Sherry Hutchison, Elton Davis, Rev. Chet Guinn and Brian Terrell. All are from Des Moines except Terrell who is from Strangers and Guest Catholic Worker House in Maloy, IA.

The seven were cited and released by local authorities.

The group thanked and praised then congressional aide Harkin for his actions in 1970 to expose the use of “tiger cages” in South Vietnam. They likewise praised his work as a young congressman when he opposed military support for the invasion and occupation of East Timor by Indonesia.

In a letter, penned in the name of the Des Moines Catholic Worker and friends of the people of Gaza, the group said that, while Harkin’s record is remembered with gratitude, they “regretfully recognize that we have not seen such leadership and courage in many years.”

Staff in Harkin’s office delivered a newly prepared statment to the demonstrators regarding the Gaza Crisis. Those participating said the statement failed to meet any of the group’s requests for Harkin to renew his comittment to peace by calling for a cease fire in Gaza, open borders for Gaza’s injured and an end to military appropriations for Israel.