Some radical leftists and progressive members of Congress were arrested outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon for protesting the recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Capitol Police reported that they had arrested 35 people, including 17 members of Congress, for “Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding.”
Among those arrested for blocking traffic were radical Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D- Minn.), and Katherine Clark (D-Mass.). Clark serves as the assistant speaker, the No. 4 position in Democratic leadership. The Capitol Police said they had “already given our standard three warnings. Some of the demonstrators are refusing to get out of the street, so we are starting to make arrests.”
“The extremist Republican Party is determined to take us back in time and take away our rights. I refuse to stand on the sidelines as their rampage continues,” Clark said in a statement following her arrest. “I am furious and heartbroken, and I will proudly fight for our right to abortion and all of our Constitutional rights. They can arrest me, but we won’t allow them to arrest freedom.”
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez was seen being escorted away by police with her hands crossed behind her back, as if she were in handcuffs, but she was not. The other congressional members detained were Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Sarah Jacobs (D-Calif.), Andy Levin (D-Mich.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Jan Schakowksy (D-Ill.), Barbara Lee (D-Cailf.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.). They were released within an hour of the incident.
There have been daily demonstrations in front of the Supreme Court since their June 24 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization resulting in the overturning of Roe v. Wade. (Read more on “Post Roe America.”)
Tuesday’s protest was part of a campaign by Democrats to keep abortion rights in the news in an attempt to sway voters in the upcoming midterms, as well as part of the continued mantra of supporters of “social justice” who clearly misunderstand the recent Supreme Court decision, which returned the abortion rights to the states to decide.
“Social justice” warrior Rep. Barbara Lee tweeted after Tuesday’s arrest, “One has a moral responsibility to push back against unjust laws. Today, I am standing up for reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy in solidarity with the millions who have had their rights stripped away by inhumane policies.”
Rep. Bush added, “I introduced legislation yesterday and today to protect reproductive freedom. Today my colleagues and I put our bodies on the line — because we will leave no stone unturned in our fight for justice. Bans off our bodies.”
The arrests follow last week’s House passage of the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act and Women’s Health Protection Act, which protect out-of-state travel for and the federal right to an abortion. Both bills are not likely to pass in the Senate, given they would need 60 votes to pass. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) have stated recently they will not vote to abolish the legislative filibuster, which will doom these abortion bills.
