Politics

22 Arrested Outside Senate Building Before Amy Coney Barrett Confirmation Hearings

Several people were arrested Monday during protests before Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation hearings to the Supreme Court, according to The Washington Post.

Groups of people supporting Barrett’s nomination and those opposed gathered outside the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Monday morning, the Post reported. Contentious shouting between people in the two groups and anti-Barrett nomination protesters staged a sit-in protest at the senate building, according to the Post, before several people were arrested.

Eva Malecki, communications director for the U.S. Capitol Police, told the Daily Caller News Foundation: “At approximately 8:35 a.m., United States Capitol Police responded to unlawful demonstration activities outside of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.”

Twenty-one individuals face misdemeanor charges of crowding, obstructing or incommoding, and one person faces a charge of unlawful conduct, Malecki said.

Protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., as the Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett got underway.

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— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 12, 2020

Protesters against Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court chanted, “Let the people decide” and a Barrett-supporting protester with a “Confirm Amy” poster yelled back, “They already did! In 2016!” according to the Post. Protests took place at entrances to Senate office buildings and on the Supreme Court steps Monday.

Almost half of voters, 46%, polled between Oct. 2 through Oct. 4 said they support for judge’s nomination to the Supreme Court, according to a Morning Consult/Politico poll released last week. Nearly half, 43% in that time compared to 39% on Sept. 26 said yes that there should be an immediate vote on Barrett’s confirmation despite who wins the 2020 Presidential election.

Small crowds were gathered outside the Supreme Court on Monday, according to a Daily Caller News Foundation video filmed around 12:30 p.m.

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Protesters inspired by Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren had marched on Capitol Hill in demonstration after President Donald Trump nominated Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, according to Fox News. Police said around 300 protesters  were arrested during one of Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings and charged for unlawful demonstration in Senate offices, Fox News reported.

Prior to that October 2018 hearing, research psychologist Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her more than 30 years ago, the Post reported at the time. Kavanaugh denied the accusations in a statement the White House provided to the Post after Ford shared publicly what happened.

President Donald Trump nominated Barrett to the Supreme Court on Sept. 26. If the Senate approves Barrett‘s nomination, she would take the seat vacated by former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.