Police forcibly removed demonstrators, many with disabilities, from a Senate building on Capitol Hill today. A total of 43 people were arrested, according to Capitol Police.
The protesters blocked the hallway outside of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office after Republican Senators unveiled a revised healthcare bill that had been drafted in secret.
ADAPT, a nonprofit group that advocates for people with disabilities, organized the “die-in” protest, bringing dozens to the Russell Senate Office. Crowds chanted “No cuts to Medicaid — save our liberty!” among other things.
Videos and photos show a disturbing scene as police dragged protesters, some of whom were in wheelchairs or using medical devices, leaving blood on the hall’s floor.
We are at @SenateMajLdr demanding he stop the attacks on Disabled people’s freedom with #AHCA. #ADAPTandRESIST #NoC… https://t.co/B42G96LStA
— NationalADAPT (@NationalADAPT) June 22, 2017
Last month, the House voted 217-213 on a version of the bill, with 20 Republicans joining Democrats to vote against the American Health Care Act.
Some of the Senate’s changes, as reported by ABC News, include removing the individual and employer mandates and phasing out the Medicaid expansion, enacted under Obama, in 2020.
“Obamacare is dead, and we’re putting a plan out today that is going to be negotiated,” President Donald Trump said during a White House event today. “We’d love to have some Democrats’ support, but they’re obstructionists.”
Along with many others, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi denounced the bill, calling it “mean and heartless,” at a news conference. She said the bill would cause “millions and millions and millions of people” to lose their health care and “inflict great suffering on veterans, on seniors, on working families, on rural communities.”
Those arrested as part of the demonstration have been charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding. “Many of the demonstrators, as part of their protest activities, removed themselves from their wheelchairs and lay themselves on the floor, obstructing passage through the hallway and into nearby offices. U.S. Capitol Police officers warned the demonstrators to cease their unlawful activities or be faced with arrest,” Capitol Police said in a statement.
Healthcare Protesters are arrested outside Sen. McConnell’s office on Capitol Hill after the release of the #SenateGOP Healthcare Bill. pic.twitter.com/6b7OEbewDz
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) June 22, 2017
Capitol police are dragging people away from Mcconnell’s office. pic.twitter.com/ldvakYdvl4
— Mariam Khan (@MKhan47) June 22, 2017
Blood on the floor outside of Leader Mcconnell’s office as protestors are physically being removed. pic.twitter.com/z4gVd9t1qe
— Mariam Khan (@MKhan47) June 22, 2017
Capitol Police arresting protesters who rely on wheelchairs. They dropped one.#NoCutsNoCaps pic.twitter.com/R6OiJ5P1h7
— jordan ? (@JordanUhl) June 22, 2017
This post has been updated with arrest figures and comment from Capitol Police.