
George Clooney has been arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., Friday morning. Clooney was leading a protest in front of the embassy when - after three verbal warnings - he and several other activists were handcuffed and led away by police.
Clooney's publicist Stan Rosenfield told TMZ, "They were protesting the violence committed by the government of Sudan on its own innocent men, women and children. They were demanding they allow humanitarian aid into the country before it becomes the largest humanitarian crisis in the world."
CNN reports that Clooney met with President Barack Obama on Thursday to discuss his concerns about Sudan.
Additionally, the Ocean's 11 star testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week about violence in the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan, a state in Sudan near its border with newly independent South Sudan. (Click here to read more about Clooney's appearance before the Senate Committee.)
So far there are reports that at least a dozen people have been arrested including congressmen, Sudanese citizens and George's dad, Nick Clooney.
UPDATE:
A few hours after his arrest, Clooney was released from police custody. He spoke with reporters and reiterated what he was trying to achieve.
"What we're trying to achieve today is we're trying to bring attention to an ongoing emergency," Clooney told reporters. "Our job is to bring attention to it, and one of those ways was, apparently, get arrested."
Clooney joked that this was his first time behind bars.
"It was my first arrest, thanks for asking. And let's hope it's my last."
BING: Learn more about the situation in Sudan