Seventeen US lawmakers arrested in abortion protest as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ‘pretends to be handcuffed’
Seventeen US lawmakers were arrested at an abortion rights rally outside the Capitol building on Tuesday afternoon.
Seventeen US lawmakers were arrested at an abortion rights rally outside the Capitol building, with one of them appearing to pretend she was handcuffed.
The group of Democratic lawmakers reported to be arrested so far include Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York), Ilhan Omar (Minnesota), Ayanna Pressley (Massachusetts), Rashida Tlaib (Michigan), Cori Bush (Missouri), Carolyn Maloney (New York), Andy Levin (Michigan), Katherine Clark (Massachusetts), Alma Adams (North Carolina), Jackie Speier (California), Nydia Velazquez (New York), Madeline Dean (Pennsylvania), Jan Schakowsky (Illinois), Bonnie Watson Coleman (New Jersey), Sara Jacobs (California), Barbara Lee (California), and Veronica Escobar (Texas).
The members of Congress wore green bandanas with the slogan ‘Won’t Back Down’ emblazoned on them.
Eighteen more people were arrested at the event, according to the Capitol Police.
As she was lead away by, Rep Ocasio-Cortez held her hands behind her back. Some conservative commentators mocked her pose, accusing her of ‘pretending to be handcuffed’.
The lawmakers are not expected to face any serious charges.
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