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“Kerry Supporters Arrested at Bush Rally Sue Law Enforcement”
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0429-07.ht …
The two women, both school teachers in their 50s, were among scores of people who were arrested, removed or barred from Bush rallies last year for wearing shirt or buttons favoring his Democratic rival, Sen. John Kerry, or for vocally criticizing the president.

“I believe the federal government behaved very badly in this situation,” said David O’Brien, the women’s attorney.

Bob Teig, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Cedar Rapids, said the office had not yet seen the complaint and could not comment.

McCabe and Nelson are described in the lawsuit as political novices, motivated by their opposition to Bush administration policies in Iraq.

Both attended Bush’s Sept. 3 rally at a Cedar Rapids park, with McCabe holding a sheet of paper reading, “No More War,” and Nelson wearing a Kerry button.

While standing on a sidewalk near, but not inside, the rally site, a Secret Service agent told McCabe she was on private property and would have to move.

The women moved to a parking area, where a member of the local Republican Party was holding a bucket to collect contributions.

The agent approached again and repeated the order to move. After asking why, McCabe was arrested by a state trooper. Nelson was arrested later by another trooper, according to the lawsuit.

The women — among five protesters arrested during the rally — were handcuffed, taken to the county jail, strip-searched and charged with criminal trespass.

The charges were dropped months later.