WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Protesters gathered in front of the White House on Monday to express their disappointment that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not yet over and to request a meeting with President Barack Obama.

An estimated 500 people from various anti-war groups gathered on the sidewalk in front of the White House. A few chained themselves to the fence, some lay down on the sidewalk as if they were dead, and others chanted, "Mourn the dead, heal the wounded, end the war!"

The protest was peaceful, but U.S. Park Police said 61 people were arrested for failure to obey a lawful order after the crowd was repeatedly asked to move back from the sidewalk.

According to Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser, all of those arrested were cited and released.

Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004, was among those who were arrested.

"I think the mood of the country and the mood of our movement is getting a little bit more desperate," she said, "and this will be the time to be able to translate our tireless activism and work for peace."

She added that Obama has been in office long enough to start working toward peace in Iraq and Afghanistan and that his supporters want him to make those changes. She noted she had not supported either Obama or his opponent, Sen. John McCain, in last year's election.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said neither he nor the president had been aware of the protest until it was mentioned in the daily press briefing, but added, "I think the president has long believed that whether your opinion is on one side of this issue or the other, that ... the greatness of our country is that you get to amplify that opinion."

The war in Afghanistan enters its ninth year this week; the war in Iraq has been going on more than six years.

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