Anti-DADT protests

Since it was enacted in 1993, Don't ask, don't tell has been strenuously protested against and criticized by the LGBT community of the United States and its allies. The following is a list of publicized civil actions against the policy until December 2010, when it was repealed by an act of Congress.

List of protests

 * July 30, 1993, Miriam Ben-Shalom and 26 other protesters were arrested at the White House fence for protesting then-President Bill Clinton’s broken promise to repeal the gay ban – instead signing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” bill into law.


 * On March 18, 2010, Choi and another ousted military officer, Capt. Jim Pietrangelo, handcuffed themselves to the fence of the White House. They were eventually removed with the use of a master handcuff key and arrested. Choi and Pietrangelo were initially set to be tried for "failure to obey a lawful order" on April 26, 2010.  Trial was postponed until July 14, at which time the charges against both men were dropped.


 * On April 20, 2010, Choi and Pietrangelo again participated in a self-chaining protest on the White House fence with Petty Officer Larry Whitt, Petty Officer (Rtd.) Autumn Sandeen, Cadet Mara Boyd and Cpl. Evelyn Thomas. All six were removed with a master hand-cuff key and arrested.


 * On May 27, 2010, Choi and Pietrangelo began a hunger strike until President Obama ends DADT and adds a non-discrimination policy to the military code. They ended the hunger strike seven days later, with Choi saying, "The fast of the past seven days has been a success because people have been educated to the use of fasting as a tool to bring attention to a set of clear political and social demands."


 * On November 15, 2010, Choi, Pietrangelo, Whitt, Sandeen, Boyd and Thomas were arrested alongside Robin McGehee, former Army Ssgt. Miriam Ben-Shalom, former Marine Corps Sgt. Justin Elzie, former Army Arabic linguist Ian Finkenbinder, Rob Smith, Father George Farrow, Scott Wooledge and Michael Bedwell.