Washington mayor arrested in protest

The Mayor of the District of Columbia Vincent Gray
© AFP/File Kimihiro Hoshino

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Vincent Gray, the mayor of the US capital city of Washington, was arrested during a protest over the budget deal struck to avoid a federal government shutdown, local media reported.

Some 41 of the roughly 150 demonstrators protesting details of the deal which involve how the District of Columbia government can spend its money were arrested, Gray among them, NBC television reported.

The demonstrators also are outraged that the federal capital city was used as a political chip in the budget deal struck Friday between President Barack Obama’s fellow Democrats in Congress and rival Republicans.

Under terms of the deal, it appears that local tax money will not be able to be spent on abortions for low-income women, NBC reported citing city leaders.

Washington is still regrouping from the political tug-of-war that led to the near shutdown of the federal government at the weekend, but looming on the horizon are bigger battles over the debt ceiling and the 2012 federal budget.

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