Gray, six Council members and others protested on Monday on Capitol Hill, arguing that funding for several programs in the District of Columbia was nothing more than a cheat in federal negotiations, political reports.
"We need to make a statement of what happened in the budget process is simply unacceptable," said Gray after his release. "It's time for people in the District of Columbia, to stand up and say we want to be treated like everyone else."
Restrictions on the city agreed in the budget agreement were "totally unacceptable," said Gray. Although he did not intend to be stopped, Gray said that he was proud of it.
Capitol Police said 41 demonstrators were arrested for unlawful assembly, because they were "blocking the passage of" the Constitution Avenue.
Congressional District Del Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat, said last week the District of Columbia residents, were viewed as "settlers of the Congress of the United States, and we are absolutely outraged. ... It is time for the District of Columbia told Congress to go straight to hell."
Among other things, the budget agreement reached Friday night includes measures that could block the use of federal and city funds to pay for abortions for low-income women.
Gray and others were expelled in protest against statements by Washington Post, that during the talks, Obama said the Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner, John, I'll give you an abortion DC "partly in return for agreeing to abandon the position that Boehner Republican Party would deny , federal funding for family planning, the message said.
"Is the DS to give the President?" DC Vote heads Ilir Zherka asked the protesters, who responded "No"
Council member Muriel Bowser said that women in the area were "attacked".
"I must say that I am disappointed in my president," Bowser said. "If you choose us, we will not choose."
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