ST. LOUIS, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Hundreds of people gathered at the St. Louis Arch to throw tea bags into the Mississippi River Friday to protest President Barack Obama's stimulus plan.
Bill Hennessy, one of the organizers, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he was inspired by Rick Santelli, a commentator for CNBC. Santelli, an opponent of the plan, called for another Boston Tea Party.
Jackie Smith, a former tight end for the St. Louis Cardinals, was one of the speakers.
"We are mad as hell and we need to stay mad as hell," he said. "Don't let up."
The demonstration was orderly, the newspaper said. Hennessy and others distributed tea bags but they asked protesters to open up the bags and dump the tea, not the paper.
Other protests were planned around the country, KMOV-TV reported.
