US presidential candidate arrested at debate site

Jill Stein, Green Party candidate for president, was arrested and removed from Hofstra University hours before the presidential debate Tuesday.

Stein, along with her running mate Cheri Honkala, was prevented from entering the site of the debate because they did not have credentials, according to the Long Island Report. According to the Long Island Report, a news site run by Hofstra students, Stein was among several activists who gathered outside of the main entrance of Hofstra University in Hempstead, N..Y.

While the other activists remained across the street, Stein and Honkala tried to enter the debate hall. Stein was soon met by Hofstra officials who refused her access. The entrance was later barricaded to prevent any future incidents.

After being denied entrance for close to 20 minutes, Stein and Honkala sat down in front of the entrance and draped an American flag across their laps, according to Long Island Report. What prompted the arrest was Stein and Honkala’s refusal to move after police informed them they would be arrested if they failed to move.

According to the Long Island Report, Stein told onlookers, “If you have done the work to get on the ballot, if you are on the ballot and could actually win the Electoral College by being on the ballot in enough states, then you deserve to be in the election and you deserve to be heard.”

Stein’s website published a full report of the arrest. Stein held a spontaneous press conference after being denied entry into the debate. “We are here to bring the courage of those excluded from our politics to this mock debate, this mockery of democracy,” Stein said to people gathered outside of Hofstra University.