Capitol Police arrested nearly 600 Women’s March protesters who filled the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill today in opposition to the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” border enforcement policies.
The women and a few men chanted “Abolish ICE” and donned foil blankets like those given to child detainees in photos of Texas border processing facilities recently released by Customs and Border Protection.
Protesters at the sit-in also chanted “We care!” in a likely nod to the olive-green jacket worn by first lady Melania Trump on the flight to visit children at the border last week, which said on the back “I really don’t care, do u?” She returned to the border again today for a second visit, jacket-less.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) was arrested along with about 575 others.
I was just arrested with 500+ women and @WomensMarch to say @RealDonaldTrump’s cruel zero-tolerance policy will not continue. Not in our country. Not in our name.
June 30 we’re putting ourselves in the street again.Join us. https://t.co/DdRHeFtTTr pic.twitter.com/P9uK0Z1Zay
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) June 28, 2018
Capitol Police said the protesters were charged with the D.C. Code violation of crowding, obstructing or incommoding. They were processed on the scene and released.
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) also appeared to cheer on the protesters.
.@SenGillibrand cheering on protestors in Hart as Capitol Police make arrests just feet away pic.twitter.com/kBqDxSaBrB
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) June 28, 2018
The scene inside Hart atrium this afternoon as Capitol police started arresting women engaging in mass civil disobedience to protest family separation at our border. #WomenDisobey pic.twitter.com/kSURUqHju2
— Sasha Stashwick (@SashaLyutse) June 28, 2018
Demonstrators are planning a Saturday “Day of Action” with #FamiliesBelongTogether protests across the country.
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