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Image Source: Getty / Anna Moneymaker
Thirty-five people were arrested today by US Capitol Police outside of the Supreme Court in Washington DC. Over a dozen of the arrested protestors were Democratic lawmakers, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alma Adams of North Carolina, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. The demonstrators were marching in protest of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which protected a person’s federal right to an abortion. The reversal, which officially happened on June 24, comes as a blow to reproductive-rights advocates and healthcare providers.
Demonstrators marched from the Capitol to the Supreme Court, chanting “our bodies, our choice” and “we won’t go back.” Within minutes of arriving, police reportedly ordered the protest to cease and desist, but demonstrators sat on the street and chanted, “The people, united, will never be divided.” According to the US Capitol Police, demonstrators had been given three warnings to get off the street, then were arrested for blocking traffic.
“Today I was arrested in a civil disobedience action at the Supreme Court to protest Roe v Wade getting overturned and the assault on reproductive rights across the country,” congresswoman Omar tweeted. “I will do whatever it takes, including putting my body on the line, to protect our fundamental rights.”
Today I was arrested in a civil disobedience action at the Supreme Court to protest Roe v Wade getting overturned and the assault on reproductive rights across the country.
I will do whatever it takes, including putting my body on the line, to protect our fundamental rights. pic.twitter.com/iVMizylQ2Q
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) July 19, 2022
Upon her arrest, Congresswoman Maloney stated, “There is no democracy if women do not have control over their own bodies and decisions about their own health, including reproductive care,” according to Maloney’s website.
She continued: “I have the privilege of representing a state where reproductive rights are respected and protected — the least I can do is put my body on the line for the 33 million women at risk of losing their rights. The Republican Party and the right-wing extremists behind this decision are not pro-life, but pro-controlling the bodies of women, girls, and any person who can become pregnant. Their ultimate goal is to institute a national ban on abortion. We will not let them win. We will be back.”
The 17 lawmakers arrested were:
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
- Alma Adams (D-NC)
- Andy Levin (D-MI)
- Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
- Barbara Lee (D-CA)
- Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
- Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
- Cori Bush (D-MO)
- Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
- Jackie Speier (D-CA)
- Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
- Katherine Clark (D-MA)
- Madeleine Dean (D-PA)
- Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)
- Rashida Tlaib (D-MI)
- Sara Jacobs (D-CA)
- Veronica Escobar (D-TX)