By Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrested for protesting at abortion rally outside Supreme Court
A group of lawmakers, including Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, were detained and arrested on Tuesday outside of the Supreme Court amid an abortion rights demonstration.
Other demonstrators included: Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Andy Levin, Cori Bush, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jackie Speier, Alma Adams, Veronica Escobar, and Carolyn B Maloney.
Capitol Police reported 34 arrests for “Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding (DC Code § 22–1307).” That arrest number includes 17 Members of Congress.
Video footage of the protest, which took place in front of the Supreme Court shows Ocasio-Cortez being escorted away by police.
Today, Rep. AOC was arrested along with other members of Congress outside the Supreme Court for protesting in support of abortion rights. #AbortionRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/gvj9J1o5ic
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) July 19, 2022
Dozens of people were gathered outside the Supreme Court to express their outrage at the Roe v Wade legislation being recently overturned. The law granted women a national constitutional right to access abortion in the United States of America.
Protesters chanted, “Our body, our choice,” and “We won’t go back”, as police repeatedly warned them to move on or face arrest. Officers advised people to leave the area immediately or they would face being detained as well.
“It is against the law to block traffic, so officers are going to give our standard three warnings before they start making arrests,” Capitol Police said on Twitter.
Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York said in a statement after her arrest that “the least I can do is put my body on the line for the 33 million women at risk of losing their rights. There is no democracy if women do not have control over their own bodies and decisions about their own health, including reproductive care.”
Minnesota U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar tweeted: “Today I was arrested while participating in a civil disobedience action with my fellow Members of Congress outside the Supreme Court. I will continue to do everything in my power to raise the alarm about the assault on our reproductive rights!”
In an interview with WCCO’s Esme Murphy, Omar says she was given a ticket and will have to pay a $50 fine. Her picture was also taken while she was in custody, but not fingerprints.
Image: GettyImages
Written by: Tahsin Aktar
