2 arrested during protest at Sen. Jeff Flake's Tucson office

Two men were arrested this morning for trespassing during a protest in front of Sen. Jeff Flake’s Tucson office.

The incidents started about 9 a.m. when Flake’s staffers called deputies saying they wanted a protester who mentioned last month’s shooting of U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise to be barred from the office at 6840 North Oracle Rd.

The first man was arrested, Mark Prichard, 59, was apprehended immediately after he stepped onto the property after a deputy told him he would be trespassing if did so, Deputy Cody Gress said in a Pima County Sheriff’s Department news release.

Later, Patrick Diehl, 70, was arrested when deputies say he tried to force his way into the office after a staffer opened the door to give pamphlets to the protesters on how to contact Flake.

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Both men face low-level misdemeanor charges.

The news release did not specify the group or the issue the two men were protesting, but Flake’s office has been the frequent target of organizations opposed to the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Earlier this week a news release announced a planned sit-in at Flake’s Tucson office that claimed it would include members of several groups, including: Our Revolution, #AllOfUs, Democracy Spring, Democratic Socialists of America, The People's Consortium, Progressive Democrats of America, ResistHere.org, Ultraviolet and Working Families Party.

The protest, the release said, was part of a 21-state effort.