Five House members were arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy Monday, after refusing police requests to leave the area during a protest over the deteriorating conditions in Darfur.

A Secret Service spokesman said the five Democrats, Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, John Lewis of Georgia, Donna Edwards of Maryland, Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Lynn Woolsey of California, were charged with crossing a police line, a misdemeanor.

The five were arrested after calling on the international community and President Obama to do more to help address what they described as a growing humanitarian crisis.

“President Bashir has a choice. He can choose to let the humanitarian groups return; he can choose to end the violence and the killing; and he can choose serious negotiations for a just and lasting peace. Or he can continue to commit crimes against humanity,” said McGovern, referring to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has been accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

The Secret Service transported them to a District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department holding facility. A police spokesman said they were “expected to be released in time for votes” later in the day.