On September 20, activists from across the United States called for end to funding for the US war in Iraq and for a comprehensive plan for peace. Thirty-six people underscored their witness for peace by taking nonviolent action inside the US Capitol, including the gallery of the US House of Representatives. This event was part of the “Days of Decision”: nationwide, grassroots, nonviolent action taking place across the nation calling for an end to the war.

Peter Perry of the Washington Peace Center shared this account of the event:

Thursday was a powerful day for the National Campaign of Nonviolent Resistance and Declaration of Peace.
 
We began trickling into the Capitol Building around 9:30 am, individually and small groups. We had to pass through the security building, whereas usually this is reserved for the tour groups only, before ascending three flights of marble stairs to the House Gallery. Some Code Pink women joined us, one confessed to me that they were trying to provide some sort of distraction for us, but I was nervous that it just raised their awareness that something big was going to happen. We finally got into the gallery after many of us had to check in our bags and cameras. And it was amazing, the House chamber was full — which is generally unusual!

They were taking a vote on adjournment (maybe some wanted tostart the weekend early), but the motion failed. There was about 40 of us in the Gallery. We waited and watched.
 
The evening before, the Washington Peace Center had secured a meeting space for us at Capitol Hill church as we did final plans for our action, and went over a few legal ramifications. It was so good to see so many familiar faces, and a few new ones. My friend Don from Alaska was with us. And there were four folks who were participating in nonviolent direct action for the first time.
 
At 11 a.m., Max O. from Baltimore stood, and then I stood and we made our way out of the gallery. Most followed us, but three or four were seated in a different section and didn’t notice until late. And two of us remained on purpose, because they wanted to speak out loudly against the continued illegal and immoral war and occupation to the House members present. And there were a lot of them. For a couple minutes, I noticed David Obey (Wisconsin) who had screamed and insulted myself and Marine mom Tina Richards shuffling around on the floor. I was told later the two who spoke out were arrested and removed quickly, but not before they sent a clear message, and the chamber became quiet as many listened.
 
With our group, we gradually made it down two flights of stairs, and I forgot that was the crypt level, not the Rotunda level! We made our way into the crypt, pass a group of media cameras (I wanted to say something to them, but we were all on edge and we didn’t want to be stopped in the halls).
 
When we got to the crypt it was filled with school groups and tour groups. However, Max O. had a quizzical look on his face and I wanted to make an attempt to make it to the Rotunda, I knew that just a few feet back the way we came there was a staircase that would get us to our intended destination, so I circled back, Max and Malachy followed, then gradually so did the rest. I began climbing the curving staircase — Malachy then sprinted past me as a policewoman started shouting for us to stop. Max and I stopped, but Malachy made it into the Rotunda (he later said that there were not nearly as many groups in the Rotunda as their were in the Crypt) before circling back again and joining us.
 
We returned to the crypt, and those participating in honoring the dead in Iraq, removed their outer shirts to reveal the blood splatters … Then the reading of the names, the mentioning of massacred towns, the reminders that the Congress continues to fuel this war and occupation through funding … Then they began to fall to the floor, lifeless and the police quickly moved in. Students from the school groups watched, transfixed. Some pictures were taken. I am still unsure if there was video taken.
 
The police demanded that those of us not directly participating must leave the crypt, as must the tourists and school groups. As I made my way down the stairs to the west lawn of the Capitol, two women were talking about the protest. “Did you see them?” “Yes, they were covered with red — like blood.” “They are going to get arrested, but good for them.”
 
When I made it outside, I immediately saw the Buddhist monks drumming,and someone had a peace banner. It was a wonderful site. About a half an hour later the outside die-in occurred with VFP and IVAW joining us with a color guard. That was also a powerful action with the use of red fabric, for the Rivers of Blood theme, but no arrests.