Green Party Presidential candidate Jill Stein and her running mate Cheri Honkala decided to show up to tonight’s Presidential Debate, which didn’t invite them. Both were prepared to be arrested, and it came to pass:

Speaking earlier in the day to Philadelphia Weekly:

“This is a great day for democracy,” noted Stein. “It’s a great day for the politics of courage.” She said they’re attempting their bum-rush because fighting the exclusion of this debate is a “push-back against the stranglehold of the economic elite — and especially of this forum.”

The candidates are calling the action “Occupy the Commission on Presidential Debates,” noting the CPD is an unfair entity formed in the 1980s by Democratic and Republican leaders and structured so as to lock out any opposition. A leaked 12-page memorandum was just recently obtained by Time magazine which shows the CPD’s rules agreed upon by both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama — including such points as, “The candidates may not ask each other direct questions during any of the four debates.” Gawker noted it shows both candidates are “sniveling cowards.”

Honkala told PW she’s ready to face security at the Hofstra debate, though “you get some butterflies in the stomach before you deal with the secret service.” But it’s worth it, she says: “We’re on the ballot. Eighty-five percent of the electorate can vote for us. We’ve done our homework. We deserve to be on the stage with the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.”