George Clooney's Mom -- Cops Won't Touch My Boy!

Call her an idealist -- but moments before George Clooney was handcuffed in D.C. this morning, his mother Nina refused to believe he'd be arrested for leading a massive protest.

Nina was watching as George led the protest outside the Sudanese Embassy today -- and when a photog asked if she thought the actor might get locked up ... as people suspected he would ... Nina replied with an enthusiastic, "NO!"

But she wasn't worried either way -- claiming, "If he does ... he's a big boy."