August 7, 2007

Protesters arrested at Rep. Sanchez's office
Six arrested on suspicion of trespassing after refusing to leave congresswoman's Garden Grove office, police say.
By DENISSE SALAZAR
The Orange County Register

GARDEN GROVE – A group of anti-war activists was arrested this morning at Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez's office after an overnight protest organized in an effort to end the war in Iraq.

At about 8:15 a.m., six protesters were arrested in connection with trespassing after they refused to leave Sanchez's office, said Lt. Travis Whitman of the Garden Grove Police Department. Another protester left voluntarily, he said.

The protesters – Edward Garza, 60, of Santa Ana; Jarret Lovell, 34, of Costa Mesa; Abraham Ramirez, 23, of Fullerton; Thutrang Tran, 25, of Fountain Valley; Patricia Alviso, 55, of Huntington Beach and Robert Dietrich, 61, of Los Angeles – were taken to Garden Grove City Jail and released on a written promise to appear in court, Whitman said.

Neither Sanchez nor her staff could be reached for comment after several phone calls made to her office.

Sanchez represents the 47th Congressional District, which encompasses Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and some of Fullerton.

The protest started Tuesday night when about 20 military family members and veterans showed up at Sanchez's office at 12397 Lewis St. during an open house and asked her to sign a pledge not to fund the war in Iraq, said Jeff Merrick, who took part in the protest.

"She refused," Merrick said. "Just like President Bush, she doesn't seem to want to stop the war."

To show their disapproval of the war in Iraq, Merrick said, the protesters occupied Sanchez's office.

The protest was organized by Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War and residents. Merrick said writing letters, making phone calls and meetings with Sanchez for over a year to stop funding the war have been ineffective.