HARRISBURG — Nine people were arrested at the office of state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12th, Monday, for causing a disturbance.

The protesters were with the activist group March on Harrisburg, and were there to petition Metcalfe, who is chairman of the house's state government committee, to call for a vote on two pieces of legislation, according to a news release.

They were there is support of House Bill 722, which would create an independent redistricting commission and House Bill 39, which would limit what public officials could accept as gifts.

“Right now in Pennsylvania, power is not with the people. As long as gerrymandering is legal and as long as unlimited gifts are legal, power is not with the people,” said Michael Pollack in the news release.

Metcalfe, in an interview Monday afternoon, noted that this is the third time this year that protesters have been arrested either at his office or elsewhere in the capitol building. In each case at least some of the protesters were not residents of Pennsylvania, he said.

Last week five people with March on Harrisburg, dressed as Waldo from the “Where's Waldo?” books, were arrested in the capitol building protesting the absence of some legislators. In May, 28 were arrested for protesting at Metcalfe's office and at a committee meeting.

Metcalfe said that creating a disturbance and getting arrested intentionally is not the right way to discuss the issues.

“They came here to my office, intimidating my staff, with the intention of being arrested and today they were arrested again,” he said.

Metcalfe recently held two town hall meetings in the 12th district where he said he would not reward “bullying tactics” by advancing the legislation, regardless of its substance.