WASHINGTON — The National Air and Space Museum in Washington was closed Saturday after anti-war demonstrators tried to enter the building to protest a drone exhibit, and at least one person was pepper-sprayed.
John Gibbons, a spokesman for the Smithsonian Institution, of which the museum in a part, said a group of demonstrators estimated at 100 to 200 people arrived about 3 p.m. and tried to enter the National Mall museum. When a guard stopped the group from entering, saying they could not bring in signs, he apparently was held by demonstrators, Mr. Gibbons said. A second guard who arrived used pepper spray on at least one person and the crowd dispersed.
Longtime Toledo peace activist Mike Ferner said he was holding a door for protesters of the drone exhibit and was one of two or three dozen pepper-sprayed by a guard. Acting director of Veterans for Peace, Mr. Ferner and about 50 people from that group joined the march along with about 200 others, he said.
The group was noisy and chanting, but it didn’t intend to harm anyone at the museum, Mr. Ferner said. A sign indicated admission was free, he said. “It didn’t say ‘free admission if you’re quiet or you don’t run counter to the government’s policies,’ ” said Mr. Ferner, who said he experienced nausea and burning eyes from the pepper spray.
Although Mr. Ferner said he did not see it, two protesters apparently went into the museum ahead of marchers and dropped a long banner at the museum that was confiscated by guards, he said.
One marcher apparently shoved one of the guards, which the group does not condone, he added.
A number of groups have demonstrated in the city in the past week. The group that arrived at the museum Saturday included individuals affiliated with the October, 2011, Stop the Machine demonstration, which has been going on in the city’s Freedom Plaza and has an anti-war and anti-corporate-greed message.
The group included protesters affiliated with Occupy D.C., a group modeled on the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City. Occupy D.C. has been holding marches and meetings in Washington’s McPherson Square.
Legba Carrefour, who is working with Occupy D.C., said a number of individuals joined the march after an afternoon meeting of the group.
Ann Wilcox, a lawyer working with Stop the Machine, said a 19-year-old woman from Madison, Wis., was arrested. She paid a fine and was released.
Ms. Wilcox said the protesters went to the Air and Space museum to demonstrate against a drone exhibit.
The museum has an exhibit, Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, that covers the history of unmanned aircraft and their use as offensive weapons.
Mr. Ferner said he arrived in Washington on Wednesday with two other Toledoans for the Freedom Plaza demonstration.
His stay is open-ended, the former Toledo mayoral candidate said.
The museum is expected to reopen Sunday.
Meanwhile, in New York City, anti-Wall Street demonstrators said they are growing out of their lower Manhattan encampment and are exploring options to expand to other public spaces.
The protesters against corporate greed have been camped out near Wall Street in Zuccotti Park for more than three weeks, staging rallies and marches that have mostly proceeded peacefully but have resulted in confrontations with police.
Several hundred protesters marched to Washington Square Park — site of protests against the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s — to discuss expanding their encampment to other sites.
There were no arrests.
First Published October 9, 2011, 4:00 a.m.
