Gay rights activists briefly arrested at statehouse protest

Idaho troopers briefly arrested 44 gay rights activists at the statehouse in Boise on Monday for blocking access to the Senate chambers during a protest, an Idaho State Police spokeswoman said.

The protesters were seeking to draw attention to a lack of action in the Republican-led legislature on a longstanding proposal that would add protections for gay and transgender people to the Idaho Human Rights Act, police spokeswoman Teresa Baker said.