ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - State troopers have arrested 15 protesters who sat and linked arms at the entrance to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's annual budget address at Empire State Plaza in Albany.
Some of the demonstrators were yelling, "Black lives matter!" a reference to the death of Eric Garner in a confrontation with police in Staten Island in July.
State Police say the protesters were charged with disorderly conduct.
A large group of troopers is on hand to provide security for the afternoon speech in the plaza's underground convention center.
Troopers typically arrest protesters in the statehouse complex for blocking entrances or hallways and charge them with disorderly conduct, a low-level violation.
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