Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders shows support for protest in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The protest that took place near Washington Avenue and 7th Street in downtown St. Louis has reached Washington D.C., thanks to Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. 

The current Senator tweeted in support of the dozens of people who marched, sat in the street and were arrested on Monday. The group, which included St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Megan Green, is fighting for $15 an hour minimum wage for local janitors. 

Sanders retweeted a tweet about the protest from SEIU Local 1 and said, "I'm proud to stand with the brave janitors of @SEIULocal1 and their allies who are risking arrest today in St. Louis to fight for living wages and respect on the job."

I'm proud to stand with the brave janitors of @SEIULocal1 and their allies who are risking arrest today in St. Louis to fight for living wages and respect on the job. https://t.co/TRReSrtDLX

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 27, 2020

St. Louis police arrested protesters for blocking the street in downtown as part of an organized "civil disobedience" with local politicians in support of higher wages for janitors on Monday.

About 20 protesters sat down in Washington Avenue and 7th Street, then police started to pick up protesters and clasp their hands with plastic handcuffs behind their backs. 

Among those arrested was Alderwoman Green, which was an orchestrated arrest and there was a plan with police in place before the protest to avoid any violence.

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