The police have arrested several United States lawmakers on Tuesday during a protest to support abortion rights which took place in front of the Supreme Court, Washington DC.
The politicians gathered in front of the US Capitol before marching to the court building to protest against the Supreme Court’s ruling to strike out Roe v Wade last month.
Roe v Wade was a landmark decision of the US Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States conferred the right to have an abortion.
The US Supreme Court struck down the Roe v Wade decision that previously legalised abortion across the United States in 1973.
According to CNN, the Congressmen arrested yesterday alongside other American citizens were chanting “our bodies, our choice” and “we won’t go back”.
The Capitol Police said they had arrested 34 people including 16 members of Congress during the demonstration.
After two minutes of the protesters arrival, police said it gave order for them to “cease and desist.” But, they decided to sit on the street, and were one by one led off by officers as they chanted, “The people, united, will never be divided.”
The US Capitol Police tweeted: “Demonstrators are starting to block First Street, NE. It is against the law to block traffic, so officers are going to give our standard three warnings before they start making arrests.”
Among those arrested are: Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Barbara Lee of California, Jackie Speier of California, Sara Jacobs of California, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey, Andy Levin of Michigan and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
Others are Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, Madeline Dean of Pennsylvania, Cori Bush of Missouri, Carolyn Maloney of New York, Nydia Velazquez of New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Alma Adams of North Carolina.
