Eight Members of Congress Arrested During D.C. Immigration Rally

Eight members of Congress were arrested during a Tuesday immigration rally on Washington, D.C.'s National Mall.

Several House Democrats sat in the middle of Independence Avenue and blocked rush hour traffic, according to the Star Tribune.

The representatives, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Rep. Al Green (D-TX), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Rep. Jan Schawkowsky (D-IL) and Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), were then arrested by U.S. Capitol Police, spokeswoman Kimberly Schneider confirmed to TheBlaze.

The congressmen were charged with "crowding, obstructing, and incommoding" under D.C. Code 22-1307 and will be processed by the U.S. Capitol Police at 67 K Street, SW.

Tuesday's rally was organized by a group called Camino Americano and was aimed at urging Congress to pass immigration reform allowing individuals who are illegally in the U.S. to apply for citizenship. The demonstration took place on the "legally closed" National Mall, but was allowed by the National Parks Service because it was considered a rally guarded by the First Amendment.

Here is a video of the arrests, posted to Rangel's official Twitter account:

Reps Green, Crowley, Lewis, Schkowsky, Grijalva, Ellison, Gutierrez, and me -- about to get arrested. https://t.co/o8a8F4WfMc

— Charles Rangel (@cbrangel)

October 8, 2013

Photos of the arrests:

Rangel, Lewis and more reps arrested in civil disobedience as they protest for immigration reform. @cbrangel pic.twitter.com/sk7aBJjQHS

— jim spellman (@jimspellmanTV) October 8, 2013

Photo @elisefoley: Rep. Keith Ellison reportedly being arrested at an immigration rally at the US Capitol pic.twitter.com/Qa7TY3gEsf

— NewsBreaker (@NewsBreaker) October 8, 2013

Follow Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) on Twitter

Carousel image via AP

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