In May 1971 there were a series of anti-Vietnam protests organized by several of the more militant members of the anti-war movement. Beginning on Saturday May 1st some 35,000 protesters gathered at West Potomac Park. The next day, the protest permit was canceled and Park Police and Metropolitan Police arrived in riot gear to disperse the crowd. On Monday May 3rd, 10,000 federal troops arrived. Protesters stated that "since the government had not stopped the war, they would stop the government." As a result, there were over 12,000 people arrested.
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