RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Ten people were arrested in suburban Richmond after sitting in a major roadway outside a McDonald’s restaurant as part of a protest seeking higher pay from fast-food companies.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/1qCsmgA) that the protesters were arrested Thursday as part of a nationwide campaign called “Fight for $15.”

Officials say the protesters were charged with two misdemeanors each: unlawful assembly and impeding the flowing of traffic.

Protests were planned by labor organizers for about 150 cities as part of efforts to get McDonald’s, Burger King and others to pay employees at least $15 an hour.

The campaign is backed by the Service Employees International Union and others. It comes at a time when the wage gap between the poor and the rich has become a hot political issue.

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Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, http://www.timesdispatch.com

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