About two dozen pro-immigration protesters stormed the Virginia condominium building of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on Thursday night, according to the Washington Examiner.
Activists from the group Casa de Virginia were reportedly able to distract a desk clerk and funnel into the private building in Arlington at about 8 p.m.
Residents said the activists roamed the halls while chanting — with at least one bullhorn — and passing out fliers accusing Rep. Cantor, a Republican, of being “the one man blocking immigration reform.”
“They came in yelling,” Susanna Gomez, one of the condo complex’s board members, told The Examiner. “We tried to talk to them, but they wouldn’t talk to us.”
The Examiner reports that police were called and the protesters continued outside before finally leaving around 9 p.m. No arrests were made.
Eric Briggs, another board member, said the protesters had tried to get into residential units, but weren’t able to. No property was damaged, he said.
“Nobody here has a problem with them marching in the street. We believe in free speech. It is the home invasion that is the problem. It was like somebody staging a protest in your living room,” Mr. Briggs told The Examiner.
The group’s spokeswoman, Maria Jose Sandoval said the protest was driven by concerns that time is running out for immigration reform.
It is not known if Mr. Cantor was home at the time of the protest.
This was reportedly the second time in six months that activists have stormed the building.
In November, a member from the affiliated group Casa en Action posed as a customer looking to buy a unit and was able to let the group in that way, The Examiner said.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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