ALBANY — State troopers have arrested demonstrators urging Senate votes on several bills who blocked the office door of a legislative leader at New York’s Capitol.
About 50 protesters who crowded around Sen. Jeff Klein’s office support measures including campaign finance reform, transgender rights, farm worker wages, women’s rights, decriminalizing marijuana and prohibiting hydrofracking.
Their spokesman, Charlie Albanetti, says 21 were arrested, including seven Capital Region residents.
Klein leads the Independent Democratic Conference, which has formed a coalition with Senate Republicans to control that chamber.
Demonstrators say Klein should use his position to advance those bills to a floor vote.
Klein spokesman Eric Soufer says leaders don’t bring legislation to the floor to fail, and not all those bills have been ruled out.
Police say demonstrators were arrested for disorderly conduct, a violation, for blocking access.
21 people arrested during organized demonstration at State Capitol.
On Tuesday June, 18 2013, Troopers assigned to Troop G arrested 21 subjects for Disorderly Conduct, a Violation, at the New York State Capital. During an organized demonstration, the following subjects blocked egress into a legislator’s office by sitting in the hallway and refused to move when directed by police. They were issued appearance tickets returnable to the Albany City Court.
Local residents charged are: Stephen M. Pampinella, 29, Albany; Alice B. Brody, 70, Albany; Charlotte Allen, 22, Troy; Daniel M Morrissey, 25, Cohoes; Joanne Farrell, 48, Rensselaer; Patricia M. Cumo, 62, Albany, and Angelica Clarke, 23, Troy.