Noah Wyle -- Martin Sheen Inspired Me ... to Get Arrested

Noah Wyle appeared cool, calm and collected this morning after he was arrested in a Washington D.C. protest ... claiming he was just following in the illegal footsteps of a Hollywood icon -- Martin Sheen.

On his way through Dulles International Airport, Wyle was asked who pulled off a better civil disobedience arrest -- him or his former "E.R." co-star George Clooney ... when Wyle dropped Charlie Sheen's father's name.

In case you didn't know, Martin Sheen's a famed activist -- who claims he was arrested more than 60 times for various political protests throughout the years.