U.S. Capitol Police say they arrested 26 AIDS activists for unlawfully demonstrating in the rotunda of the Capitol building.
Policespokeswoman Kimberly Schneider said Thursday that 11 men and 15 womenwere charged with unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct.
Policesay the protesters entered the rotunda, located beneath the Capitol'sdome, and linked themselves together with a white chain.
The Capitol rotunda is normally crowded with tourists, but police restricted access to the area while they made the arrests.
The activists are part of a coalition of five AIDS groups.
Oneof the groups, the Health Global Access Project, says it was protestingthe government's failure to lift the ban on funding syringe exchange. The group also wants the government to increase funding for housing forAIDS patients and increase international AIDS contributions.