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Anti-Abortion Protester Arrested Near Capitol

An anti-abortion protester with a history of disorderly conduct arrests at facilities that span the executive, legislative and judicial branches was again arrested Monday on suspicion of violating a court order to stay away from the Capitol grounds.

Rives Grogan, a pastor and anti-abortion protester from the New Beginnings Church in Los Angeles, was arrested just after 9 a.m. Monday when officers saw him walking down the unit block of First Street Northeast near the Capitol.

Grogan is “known to have been issued a stay away order for the Capitol grounds,” according to Capitol Police records. He was arrested without incident.

On Tuesday he was arraigned before the Superior Court for the District of Columbia and charged with contempt of court.

Grogan has been seen protesting at the Capitol recently, calling on Congressional leaders to cut federal abortion funding.

Grogan was arrested March 8 after he repeatedly tried to enter the Capitol through the North Senate Carriage Entrance, which is limited to Members and staff.

In February 2010, the court issued a stay away order for the White House after Grogan was arrested protesting there. He was arrested three times in December 2009 for protesting in front of the Capitol.

He was also arrested in 2006 protesting at the Supreme Court and was issued a court order to stay away from that building.

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