Disability rights activists protest at White House

Published:
MGN

WASHINGTON (AP) – Disability rights activists are protesting at the White House to urge President Barack Obama to support legislation to help disabled people who require long-term support stay in their homes.

About a hundred activists in wheelchairs lined up along bike racks that form a secondary perimeter around the White House fence. They’re chanting “our homes, not nursing homes” and “disability rights are human rights.”

Some of the activists appeared to be chaining themselves to the fence in an act of civil disobedience. Secret Service officers were monitoring the protest but by midday, there had been no arrests.

The activists are supporting the Disability Integration Act. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced the bill last year, but it has yet to gain traction. The legislation promotes the ability for people with disabilities to live in their communities.

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