More than a dozen Democrats arrested at abortion rights protest in DC; AOC pretended to be dragged away in handcuffs



Several Democratic lawmakers were arrested at an abortion rights protest outside the Capitol on Tuesday as demonstrators railed against the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

"Squad" members Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and other Democrats including Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), and Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) were among those escorted away from the demonstration by police, The Hill reported.

According to police, the protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court building illegally obstructed traffic.

At 1:18 p.m., U.S. Capitol police tweeted that demonstrators were "starting to block First Street, NE."

"It is against the law to block traffic, so officers are going to give our standard three warnings before they start making arrests," police said.

Two minutes later the police said they started making arrests after warning the demonstrators to "get out of the street."

\u201cWe have already given our standard three warnings. \n\nSome of the demonstrators are refusing to get out of the street, so we are starting to make arrests.\u201d
— U.S. Capitol Police (@U.S. Capitol Police) 1658251100

By 1:35 p.m. the protest was cleared. Capitol Police said a total of 34 arrests were made for crowding, obstructing, or incommoding, including 16 members of Congress.

Axios later reported that 17 lawmakers were arrested. They are:

  • Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.),
  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.)
  • Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.)
  • Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)
  • Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.)
  • Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.)
  • Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)
  • Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.)
  • Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.)
  • Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.)
  • Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.)
  • Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.)
  • Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.)
  • Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.)
  • Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas)
  • Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)
  • Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.)

Video posted on Twitter showed police officers escorting lawmakers away from the demonstration.

\u201cMultiple members of Congress, including @AOC, being arrested by Capitol Police for blocking traffic outside the Supreme Court in abortion rights demonstration:\u201d
— Andrew Solender (@Andrew Solender) 1658251633

As Ocasio-Cortez was taken away by police, she held her hands behind her back as if she was handcuffed, but she was not. Video shows her raising her fist in defiant salute to the other protesters.

\u201c.@AOC has just been escorted by police away from the Supreme Court.\u201d
— Douglas Blair (@Douglas Blair) 1658251543

Some of the Democrats issued statements after their arrest.

"There is no democracy if women do not have control over their own bodies and decisions about their own health, including reproductive care," Maloney said.

A spokesman for Pressley told The Hill that the congresswoman participated in a protest against the "cruel and callous decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and strip away abortion rights for everyone who calls America home."

Speier, who reportedly led the protest, tweeted she was, "Proud to march with my Democratic colleagues including ⁦⁦@DemWomenCaucus⁩ members, and get arrested for women’s rights, abortion rights, the rights for people to control their own bodies and the future and our democracy!"

\u201cProud to march with my Democratic colleagues including \u2066\u2066@DemWomenCaucus\u2069 members, and get arrested for women\u2019s rights, abortion rights, the rights for people to control their own bodies and the future and our democracy! #BansOffOurBodies #WeWontGoBack\u201d
— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1658253161


In June, the Supreme Court overruled its abortion precedents in the landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, which said the Constitution does not protect the right to abortion. It was an unambiguous victory for the pro-life movement in America, which had campaigned and peacefully protested for Roe to be overturned in Washington D.C. for nearly 50 years without incident.

House slammed over new member banquets as Americans are told to skip holiday gatherings with family



Leadership in the House of Representatives was lambasted Friday for moving forward with traditional banquets welcoming newly elected members of the lower chamber to Washington, D.C., while Americans are being warned against large holiday gatherings outside their immediate households due to concerns over the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

What are the details?

NBC News congressional correspondent Leigh Ann Caldwell set off a firestorm across the political spectrum when she tweeted out a picture showing the Capitol building's National Statuary Hall filled with dining tables.

"House Dem and GOP leaders are holding respective dinners for new members," Caldwell wrote, noting, "@SpeakerPelosi told me it's safe. 'It's very spaced,' she said and there is enhanced ventilation and the Capitol physician signed off."

House Dem and GOP leaders are holding respective dinners for new members. .@SpeakerPelosi told me it’s safe. “It’… https://t.co/tMOw0qztiI
— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@Leigh Ann Caldwell)1605297684.0

The Twittersphere reacted with fury, with many pointing to the hypocrisy of such a move.

"This is setting such a bad example," the Daily Beast's Jackie Kucinich replied. "Doctors are asking Americans to skip family gatherings for Thanksgiving to slow the spread but sure, enjoy the golden tables in a Stat Hall, a room without working windows."

This is setting such a bad example. Doctors are asking Americans to skip family gatherings for Thanksgiving to slow… https://t.co/5hPNMKIhTI
— Jackie Kucinich (@Jackie Kucinich)1605302579.0

Conservative writer and politico Rachel Bovard reacted, "AHAHAHA I tried to have a normal wedding reception this year and every venue told me to get bent."

Food Network judge and chef Andrew Gruel pointed out, "We just had to close dining at our New Mexico locations due to a state lockdown."

"Rules are for thee, not for Pelosee," chided former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson, in a dig at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

Following heat after news broke about the dinners, Pelosi's deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, said that the event had been "modified."

"Our office strictly follows the guidance of the Office of Attending Physician, including for this dinner," he wrote. "To be a further model for the nation, this event has been modified to allow Members-elect to pick up their meals to go in a socially-distanced manner."

Later in the evening, Hammill tweeted out, "Members-elect are now picking up their boxed meals and departing the Capitol. There is no group dinner. Members-elect are in DC already for orientation."

It is unclear how many people—including incoming members and invited guests—were present at the Democrats' "dinner" on Friday evening, or how many are expected at the Republicans' planned engagement.

Some House races remain undecided across the country, but UPI reported Friday that "about 50 new members of Congress gathered to start the process of hiring staff and setting up offices as they transition to Washington" during "orientation in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center Congressional Auditorium."