WASHINGTON _ The Capitol Police arrested 70 protesters Tuesday at the first day of the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Of the total, 61 were removed by Capitol Police from the Hart Office Building room where Senate Judiciary Committee members were giving opening statements for more than seven hours. Those arrested were charged with disorderly conduct.
The protesters, who represented a range of groups that want to defeat Kavanaugh's confirmation, stood and yelled at lawmakers during the panel's proceedings. They were led out of the hearing room by officers assembled and prepared for the unrest.
Many of the arrested were women representing the Women's March and Popular Democracy Action.
"Brett Kavanaugh's nomination is a direct assault on women and we are fighting back," said Linda Sarsour of Women's March, who was released in the late afternoon after being the first arrestee of the day.
"This country has a long history of men co-opting the bodies of those without power _ women, people of color, immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ people, people with low incomes, and intersections of all these identities _ to make white men with wealth even more powerful," said Jennifer Epps-Addison of CPD Action in a statement.
An additional nine people were removed from the second floor of the Dirksen Senate Office Building for "unlawful demonstration activities" and were charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding, according to Capitol Police spokesperson Eva Malecki.
