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Ariana Baio
Jul 19, 2022
Nancy Pelosi says Supreme Court threw ‘wrecking ball’ at abortion rights ahead ...
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Several right-wingers on social media are accusing congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Ilhan Omar of 'faking' being handcuffed after 35 people were detained following a demonstration at the Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, activists were arrested at the Supreme Court by Capitol Police following a demonstration to support legal abortion in the US. This included AOC (D-NY), Omar (D-MN), Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NC), and more.
Videos and photos from the demonstration show several congresspeople being escorted away from the crowd by Capitol Police. In several videos AOC and Omar can be seen walking with their hands behind their back. But upon closer look, it seems no handcuffs are present.
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According to Capitol Police, the peaceful demonstrators were blocking traffic. After being issued three warnings, arrests were made.
Of the 35 people arrested, 17 were members of congress.
Upon seeing the videos of AOC and Omar being arrested, people on Twitter pointed out that the two had no handcuffs lending the question why were their hands behind their back.
\u201cMultiple members of Congress, including @AOC, being arrested by Capitol Police for blocking traffic outside the Supreme Court in abortion rights demonstration:\u201d— Andrew Solender (@Andrew Solender) 1658251633
It is unclear if Capitol Police requested the congresswomen put their hands behind their back or if it was a personal choice. We reached out to Capitol Police, AOC, and Omar's office for comment.
But many conservatives took the opportunity to assume the two women were doing so for dramatic effect.
"Why are Democrats faking being arrested? Embarrassing", conservative comedians Hodgetwins wrote on Twitter.
"She was not arrested," conservative commentator Matt Walsh wrote in response to a video of AOC being arrested.
\u201c.@AOC so you faked being handcuffed to keep lying to women?\n\nAbortion is legal up until birth in NY, but your voters can\u2019t afford groceries and crime is out of control.\n\nDesperate isn\u2019t a good look on you.\n\nGo back to your Insta makeup tutorials, you\u2019re actually good at those.\u201d— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1658258685
In the videos, the congresspeople can be seen waving their fists in the air, continuing to chant, as Capitol Police escort them away.
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier this summer, demonstrations have taken place outside of the building both in opposition of the decision.
Members from Omar's team confirmed the representative's arrest on Tuesday and added a statement from her:
"Our reproductive rights are under assault across the country, thanks to an extremist court with little regard for precedent or our basic rights. I will do whatever it takes, including putting my body on the line, to protect our reproductive rights."
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