‘Abolish ICE!’ 575 arrested after protesters occupy US Senate building (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Nearly 600 activists, protesting Donald Trump’s ‘zero-tolerance’ policy against illegal immigrants, have been arrested after staging an occupy sit-in at the Hart Senate Office building in the nation’s capital.
Hundreds of women, wrapped in metallic silver blankets, referencing the duvets given to migrant children in detention centers, occupied the Senate office building in Washington DC after marching down the streets of the city chanting “Shame! Shame! Shame!” and “This is what democracy looks like.”
Demanding the closure of the detention centers for illegal immigrants, the activists made a brief stop in front of the Department of Justice, urging the government to “abolish ICE,” the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
#WomenDisobey have 10th Street shut down outside the gates to the DOJ, all shouting WE CARE on this march’s first sit-in demanding a stop to family detention. pic.twitter.com/5PAIHWISWH
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) June 28, 2018
The crowd then marched down to the federal premises, where they occupied the atrium and several floors, chanting “we care” and “where are the children?” in reference to minors separated from their parents at the US-Mexico border.
#WomenDisobey: Chanting ABOLISH ICE at the DOJ building, a demand I’m hearing more and more - cc: @SeanMcElweepic.twitter.com/T6U9nRw6EM
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) June 28, 2018
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The crowd was joined by a number of US Senators who oppose Trump’s immigration policies, as well as other prominent people, among them as the actress Susan Sarandon.
Singing in foil, metallic blankets— representative of the blankets children are given in detention centers on the border #womendisobeypic.twitter.com/0bEZeSU3MY
— Marina Pitofsky (@marina_pitofsky) June 28, 2018
The scene inside Hart atrium this afternoon as Capitol police started arresting women engaging in mass civil disobedience to protest family separation at our border. #WomenDisobeypic.twitter.com/kSURUqHju2
— Sasha Stashwick (@SashaLyutse) June 28, 2018
Powerful, beautiful action with hundreds of women saying we demand the reunification of families separated by immoral ICE policy. This is what Democracy looks like. #WomenDisobeyhttps://t.co/NDHDISPTPDpic.twitter.com/szBOJ43D6y
— Susan Sarandon (@SusanSarandon) June 28, 2018
After repeated calls from the police demanding that they leave the premises or face arrest, officers were forced to move in, detaining at least 575 activists for “unlawful demonstration,” AP reported. Rep. Pramila Jayapal was one of those who were detained on Thursday, before being released with a fine.
The Senate named its third office building in August 1976 for Senator Philip Hart, a Michigan Democrat with a reputation for political bravery and integrity. Washington, DC #WomenDisobey protest over the migrant children Planned Orphanage scandal. pic.twitter.com/T8cdT535a3
— vlh (@coton_luver) June 28, 2018
Just a small group of protesters left as arrests continue. They’re still singing. #WomenDisobey#immigration#DCpic.twitter.com/foE1Eg0Yz1
— Marissa J. Lang (@Marissa_Jae) June 28, 2018
Arrests continuing in the Hart Senate office building.Look at that pile of mylar blankets.#WomenDisobeypic.twitter.com/9jfj8vIMbt
— Red T Raccoon (@RedTRaccoon) June 28, 2018
Protesters staged the sit-in “to fight for our families to be free, to fight for the ability of our kids to be with their parents — not in cages, not in prison, but able to live their lives free, safe and secure,” she tweeted in a video message.
I was just arrested with 500+ women and @WomensMarch to say @RealDonaldTrump’s cruel zero-tolerance policy will not continue. Not in our country. Not in our name.June 30 we’re putting ourselves in the street again.Join us. https://t.co/DdRHeFtTTrpic.twitter.com/P9uK0Z1Zay
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) June 28, 2018
After Donald Trump announced his zero-tolerance policy on illegal border crossing in April, around 2,300 children were separated from their families. Facing a massive public backlash, last week Trump issued an order allowing families to stay together after being detained at the border. On Monday, US Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services reported that 538 kids had been reunited with their parents. The next day, a judge in California granted a preliminary injunction giving the government 30 days to reunify minors with their families, 14 days if the child is younger than five.
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