4 arrested at Memorial Bridge for hanging ‘Free Tibet’ sign

(Photo courtesy ABC7/Adam Caskey)
Police on the Memorial Bridge after two men rappelled off it to hang a "Free Tibet" sign. (WTOP/Mike Burke)
Police on the Memorial Bridge after two men rappelled off it to hang a "Free Tibet" sign. (WTOP/Mike Burke)
The sign the protesters tried to hang. (WTOP/Mike Burke)
D.C. Police employed their harbor boats to arrest the two men who were rappelling off the bridge. (WTOP/Mike Burke)
Another view of the sign hanging off the bridge. (WTOP/Nathan Hager)
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WASHINGTON – At least four people are in police custody after two of them rappelled off Memorial Bridge to hang a “TIBET WILL BE FREE” sign.

D.C. Police first reported two men rappelling off the bridge just after 10:20 a.m., according to a tweet from the department. Officers from the Second District, as well as Harbor and Park police responded to the incident.

Police used harbor boats to arrest the two men who were rappelling, reports WTOP’s Nathan Hager, while the other two with them waited on the bridge. It took about a half hour for all four men to be arrested.

The identities of the men have not been released.

Only one lane was closed on the bridge during the incident. Traffic returned to normal just after 11 a.m.

Check out the gallery at right for more pictures of the protest and police response.

This story will update. Check back for more information.

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