WASHINGTON — More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers were arrested Tuesday at an abortion rights protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court.
Capitol Police said 35 people were arrested, including 17 members of Congress.
"Demonstrators are starting to block First Street, NE," Capitol Police said on Twitter. "It is against the law to block traffic, so officers are going to give our standard three warnings before they start making arrests."
One of the arrested lawmakers was Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn), who shared a video of her arrest. Omar said she and her fellow lawmakers were arrested during a planned "civil disobedience action."
Videos shared on social media show demonstrators holding signs and wearing green bandanas.
Capitol Police declined to release a full list of the members of Congress arrested, but a number of lawmakers confirmed their arrests on social media. They include:
- Democratic Women's Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Jackie Speier (CA)
- Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA)
- Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY)
- Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA)
- Rep. Barbara Lee (CA)
- Rep. Cori Bush (MO)
- Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL)
- Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ)
- Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN)
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY)
- Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA)
- Rep. Alma Adams (NC)
- Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX)
- Rep. Andy Levin (MI)
- Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI)
The protest followed the Supreme Court's recent decision overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion.
"Today we marched to the SCOTUS to protest the radical right-wing decision to overturn Roe," wrote Rep. Nydia Velazquez of New York, who shared photos from the protest but didn't immediately confirm her arrest. "It’s time for some good trouble. We won’t go back."
"Proud to march with my Democratic colleagues including @DemWomenCaucus members, and get arrested for women’s rights, abortion rights, the rights for people to control their own bodies and the future and our democracy!" wrote Rep. Jackie Speier of California on Twitter.
There were no immediate updates from police or most of the lawmakers. Adams, however, said Tuesday afternoon that she had paid bail and was "on my way to vote."