7 Arrested in IMF Protests

Seven people were arrested in downtown Washington and traffic was tied up for 45 minutes this morning in the first street action of protests this week against the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Police said three were arrested who were trying to lead a protest rally from the top of a rental truck, two others after they chained themselves to the vehicle and two others who officials said tried to unfurl a banner on the World Bank building.

Hundreds of protesters have come to the city to protest policies of the World Bank and the IMF during the groups' spring meetings, which start Tuesday. They say they hope to build on the momentum of protests against the WTO that turned ugly in Seattle, resulting in disruption of the meetings and tear-gassing of protesters.