http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...ed-notre-dame/


Protesters opposed to President Obama's address to the graduating class of Notre Dame were arrested Friday after they disobeyed rules about staging their demonstration and walked onto the university campus.

Obama is also receiving an honorary law degree on Sunday, a decision that has upset abortion opponents who say the Catholic university is violating its own beliefs by honoring the president.

Protesters were told they could protest all they want in the town of South Bend, Ind., but once they stepped onto Notre Dame property, they would be arrested.

Former presidential candidate Alan Keyes led about 50 people onto the campus. They came across the gate and about 200 yards up the driveway where campus police were waiting. They were peaceful. The police asked the protesters to leave. They refused and were taken into custody. Vans were ready to load them up.

Perhaps the most dramatic moment happened when Father Norman Weslin of Omaha, Neb., a former army colonel and founder of the Lambs of Christ, refused to leave. He was singing and was carried off on a stretcher, not strong enough to march off on his own.

All in all, about 15 people, a group not from the Notre Dame community, were arrested.

Outside of the arrests, the campus was generally quiet. A lot of students say the president's visit has been a constant source of debate about the school's teachings on life.

Both sides have been very civil. However, the activity off campus has caused some anxiety for members of the community who say that raucous protests may detract from the students' graduation day.

Aside from the out-of-towners who are protesting, a group of students has announced it will not attend the commencement and will hold a prayer vigil elsewhere on campus instead.