On Tuesday, 16 U.S. Representatives were arrested for protesting the decision of the court over Roe vs. Wade as they were outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. One of the representatives was Veronica Escobar from El Paso, Texas.
Other representatives who were arrested include Democratic representatives Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Jackie Speier (Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.), Cori Bush (Mo.), Katherine Clark (Mass.), Andy Levin (Mich.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Alma Adams (N.C.), Veronica Escobar (Texas), and Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.) were among those apprehended at the demonstration.
The police gave the protesters three warnings before they were arrested. They said they were blocking First Street.
Capital Hill police said they arrested a total of 35 individuals who were protesting.
Representative Escobar said:
“Protesting injustice in our country is as old as our democracy itself; it is a cornerstone of our history, a principle of our nation, and a faithful mechanism for the will of the people to be heard. That is why, in the face of unprecedented attacks on abortion access and reproductive justice, like the draconian laws and anti-woman agenda we are seeing from the Texas state legislature, Governor Abbott, and the Supreme Court, I joined several of my colleagues in front of the highest court in the land to make good trouble.
My arrest today for civil disobedience was a small act in the centuries-long battle to ensure every woman has the freedom to make personal decisions with those they love and trust without politicians trying to control them. We stand on the shoulders of giants whose struggle against injustices everywhere lights the way forward: the fight didn’t start here, and it’s far from over.”
U.S. Rep. Slyvia Garcia, D-Houston was part of the protest but was not arrested.
The Supreme Court decision is making some people use their First Amendment rights to protest. But the police still have to do their job and allow people access to roads which the representatives did not allow for whatever reason.
Do you agree with what the U.S. Representatives did?