Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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United Press International; Monday July 20 9:15 PM EDT
The protesters shouted, "Clean needles save lives _ Lift the ban now," as police cut heavy chains to remove them from Thurman's office, which is located in a row of office buildings across the street from the White House. Protest organizers said those who participated included needle exchange program organizers from New York, Ohio and New Hampshire, and a public school teacher from New York City.
Uniformed Secret Service officers bundled the group of 11 protesters into a van and took them away. All 11 were released without facing charges after they agreed to pay $50 fees, said one of the demonstrators, Ken Vail, director of Xchange Point of Cleveland.
They focused their protest on Clinton's decision April 20 to refuse to use federal funds to finance programs designed to prevent drug addicts from being infected with the AIDS-causing virus, HIV, by giving them clean needles.
With only a few locally funded exchange programs in operation nationwide, the activists cited estimates that 33 people become infected with HIV each day in the United States by sharing needles used to inject intravenous drugs.
Thurman, herself a former AIDS policy protester who had urged Clinton unsuccessfully to fund needle exchange programs, said she spoke with the protesters, some of whom chained themselves to her desk, and understood their frustration.
Thurman told United Press International following the protest that "to be on this side is incredibly awkward for me," but she expressed confidence that Clinton "really cares" about the AIDS epidemic and she promised the debate over needle exchanges will continue.
Although Clinton cited the advice of his chief anti-drug strategist, Barry McCaffrey, in his decision to oppose needle-exchange funding, Thurman shifted the blame to the Republican-led Congress, accusing it of being "incredibly reactionary" on the matter.
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