On August 23, 1997, five activists were arrested after locking down the Old Executive Office Building to deny Al Gore access to proceed with his U.S.-South Africa deal on pharmaceutical access. ActUP activists argued that his proposed agreement unfairly limits South Africa’s right to produce and import essential drugs at affordable prices. These activists postponed the workday, as officials took hours cutting the activists’ chains. The activists’ goal was to interrupt the workday to distrust the movement on Al Gore’s harmful procedure.