California Highway Patrol officers cited 15 demonstrators, most of them in wheelchairs, for blocking the hallway outside Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Capitol office Tuesday in protest of proposed cuts to health and social service programs.
The demonstrators were cited for trespassing and failure to disperse after they refused to leave when the building closed about 6:45 p.m. They were allowed to leave the Capitol without being taken to jail.
The protest began about 1 p.m. Organizers said the event drew about 120 people at its height but had dwindled to about 30 people before the citations were issued.
California Highway Patrol Capt. Bob Ghiglieri said the demonstration was peaceful and public safety was not endangered.
The protest was organized by a coalition that included various independent living centers, disability-rights groups, health care advocates, in-home support service providers, and the state council of Service Employees International Union, which represents health care workers. Bail for those arrested will be paid by SEIU Local 6434, said organizer Evan LeVang.
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