FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
CODEPINK Condemns Repression by Capitol Police: Staff Member Arrested for Quietly Exiting Hearing Room
WASHINGTON – A CODEPINK staff member was arrested this afternoon after she quietly exited a room where a hearing was taking place. At CODEPINK, we routinely risk arrest at congressional hearings while we disrupt warmongering politicians – but that was not the case in this instance. Our staff member awaits a court date for a previous arrest and did not intend to be arrested today. At the time of her arrest, she was exiting a hearing room without saying anything or holding up any signs, just holding up her hands for a brief moment. This symbolic action alone has never resulted in an arrest in our last 20 years of protesting on Capitol Hill. No disruption was taking place. According to the police, she will be held overnight or potentially until her court date in June.
"The Capitol Police know our faces well at this point; we are there daily. Julia's arrest today is nothing short of political repression and intimidation. Earlier today, they assaulted our members at a hearing, and now they are threatening to hold our members in jail for doing nothing at all." Danaka Katovich, the National Co-Director of CODEPINK. "In what democracy do police forces arrest recognizable activists? Julia's arrest and assaults on our activists earlier today signal a larger state of repression we are entering in our fight for a free Palestine. We will continue to stand by our staff and all activists against political repression," she continued.
Today, as well, police forces at the University of Michigan raided a student encampment, using pepper spray and landing several people in the hospital. More and more arrests are taking place at peaceful protests for Palestine all over the country. And now, in our very own congressional buildings that our tax dollars pay for – activists are assaulted and arrested for interrupting politicians and holding up signs, or even, in Julia's case – for just being a recognizable activist who is doing nothing illegal.
We condemn all acts of political repression against advocates for peace and justice, whether it's attacks on our non-profit staff or students from Columbia to Michigan.
You can watch footage of her arrest here.
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