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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Park Police issued 49 citations Monday to disability rights activists who were protesting at the White House and urging President Barack Obama to support legislation to help disabled people stay in their homes when they require long-term support.
About a hundred activists in wheelchairs lined up along bike racks that form a secondary perimeter around the White House fence. They chanted "our homes, not nursing homes" and "disability rights are human rights."
No arrests were made and the citations were issued for blocking the sidewalk, said Sgt. Anna Rose, a spokeswoman for the Park Police. Police issued warnings in advance of issuing the citations, giving the protesters an opportunity to leave.
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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