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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Two arrested, 8 others cited on day 7 of furlough sit-in


Advertiser Staff and Wire

State deputy sheriffs tonight arrested two people and cited eight others who were participating in day 7 of a sit-in in Gov. Linda Lingle's office in a protest over public school furloughs.

Lingle earlier today warned parents who have been conducting a sit-in at her State Capitol office that they risk arrest if they remain there beyond Tuesday night.

Shortly before 9 p.m., deputies arrested University of Hawaii students Michael Doyle and Carrie Lau because it was their third trespassing citation during the sit-in and participants had been warned that any three-time violators would be arrsted.

Doyle and Lau were taken out of the governor's office, handcuffed and taken downstairs in an elevator. Clare Hanusz, a sit-in participant who is an attorney, followed them, though she was not arrested.

Eight other participants received trespassing citations but were allowed to stay in the reception area of the governor's office.

Lingle said at a news conference earlier Tuesday that she wanted state sheriff's deputies to treat the parents no differently than they would anyone else who tried to stay in the office lobby after closing hours.

She says she also told deputies to do nothing that might traumatize the parents' children who are in the lobby.

Lingle invited about eight of the protesters to watch the news conference, but refused to take questions from them.

The parents and other adults have staged the sit-in for six days so far to demand that Lingle reach an accord ending teacher furloughs.