AIDS activists protest at New York's Grand Central Station

Approximately 200 AIDS activists chanting "Fight AIDS, not Iraq," staged a protest Thursday morning in New York City's Grand Central Station, CNN reports. Michael Kink, one of the organizers of the protest, said, "We're trying to make a point about compassion and AIDS. We have less resources than we did four years ago." Police arrested 19 protesters shortly after the protest began at 8:05 a.m. and charged them with disorderly conduct. Police also removed banners that were unfurled at staircases at opposite ends of the terminal. Nearly 1,800 people have been arrested in protests related to the Republican National Convention, held in New York this week. The arrests include 12 members of the AIDS activist group ACT UP who were arrested inside Madison Square Garden on Wednesday after they staged a protest during a speech to convention delegates by White House chief of staff Andrew Card.