Iowa: At least 5 protesters arrested at Bachmann campaign office

Posted at 1:46 PM on December 31, 2011 by Emily Kaiser
Filed under: Iowa

At least five protesters have been arrested outside Michele Bachmann's Iowa campaign headquarters in Urbandale, according to the Des Moines Register.

The demonstrators arrived on three buses around 1:15 p.m. and allegedly walked up to the doors of the headquarters and blocked the building's entrance, according to the report. Police told the protesters they had to move off the private property.

Several reporters are on the scene with updates via Twitter.

UPDATE: The Associated Press has more information on the situation at Bachmann's office.

The protesters were connected to the nationwide Occupy movement:

Local police in suburban Des Moines, Iowa, say the protesters were arrested for trespassing. A few dozen demonstrators massed outside the office Saturday where Bachmann had come to rally staff and make calls to potential Republican caucus-goers.

Bachmann did not come outside of the building.

Hundreds of Occupy activists from at least 10 states were expected to participate in a "People's Caucus'' in Des Moines as the Jan. 3 caucuses nears. The activists are promising to interrupt candidates at events and camp out at their Iowa campaign offices.