Flanagan resisting arrest.... Photo by J. Scott Applewhite/AP
It is amazing how we handle 'things' in this country. Peaceful protestors have difficulty protesting peacefully and demonstrating for their representatives in government to actually represent them. Government was ready in advance with excessive numbers of people representing 'law enforcement' to arrest those who were 'breaking the law'. The various demonstrators were charged with a variety of crimes including refusing to cease and desist with their unlawful demonstration and charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding (causing inconvenience) and resisting arrest... all serious crimes.
In other circumstances some of them could have been shot by 'law enforcement' as is often the consequence of peaceful protests by citizens of this country. Instead, because they weren't predominately black, they were dragged from their wheelchairs and arrested.
Even with the lack of gunfire the Daily Beast reported that custodians were cleaning blood off the floor.
One might speculate that medical treatment required after 'law enforcement' induced injury from participating in the protest will not be covered by the healthcare legislation being pushed forward at the hearing for which people traveled across the country to attend and to protest.
The capital is well guarded by well armed guards...
from Common Dreams - Chanting "Kill the Bill, Not Us," over a hundred furious activists, many in wheelchairs, halted Monday's only scheduled hearing on the travesty that is the Graham-Cassidy anti-health-care-bill. Before getting hauled out and arrested by a "staggering" number of Capitol Police, the protesters - many from the disability-rights group ADAPT who had gotten up at four that morning to join long lines for the hearing - were met with a response only the current cretins in power could conjure up. Senator and Chairman Orrin Hatch, who ordered the protesters forcibly removed, told them, "If you want a hearing, you'd better shut up," adding there was no reason for him to waste his time “if the hearing is going to devolve into a sideshow."
Lindsey Graham, the disastrous bill's co-sponsor, watched stone-faced as police dragged shrieking protesters out of the room, in some cases lifting them out of their wheelchairs. The other sponsor, Bill Cassidy, did him one better in the relaxed indifference department: He literally yawned through the turmoil. Noted Huff Post's Matt Fuller, "A good time to reevaluate what you're doing in Congress is maybe when people are being dragged out of wheelchairs over your bill idk." The debacle likewise prompted Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the committee, to charge, “The process that led to this is an abomination.” He might as well have been referencing the state of the Republic.
Lindsey Graham, the disastrous bill's co-sponsor, watched stone-faced as police dragged shrieking protesters out of the room, in some cases lifting them out of their wheelchairs. The other sponsor, Bill Cassidy, did him one better in the relaxed indifference department: He literally yawned through the turmoil. Noted Huff Post's Matt Fuller, "A good time to reevaluate what you're doing in Congress is maybe when people are being dragged out of wheelchairs over your bill idk." The debacle likewise prompted Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the committee, to charge, “The process that led to this is an abomination.” He might as well have been referencing the state of the Republic.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images News/Getty Images
On Thursday, protesters held a "die-in" outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office as the GOP unveiled legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Some of the protesters were in wheelchairs as they blocked the hallway, while others were wearing medical devices, and as they protested health care measures that would potentially threaten their lives, police dragged the protesters away from McConnell's office.
Police Physically Remove Protesters With Disabilities From A Die-In Against The Health Care Bill
Capitol Police officers struggled to remove people, with some sliding out of their wheelchairs and onto the floor. Eva Malecki, a spokesperson for Capitol Police, said in a statement 181 protesters were arrested Monday afternoon.
"Fifteen demonstrators were arrested and charged with disruption of Congress," Malecki said, adding, "143 individuals were arrested after refusing to cease and desist with their unlawful demonstration activities in the hallway. Twenty-three individuals were charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding and resisting arrest."
People from all over the country and all of walks of life lined up as early as 5 a.m. ET, to urge lawmakers to oppose the latest Republican health care bill, known as the Graham-Cassidy bill.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Capitol Police remove a protester in a wheel chair from a Senate Finance Committee hearing about the proposed Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, Sept. 25, 2017, in Washington... see video...
The chambers of Finance Committee is set to consider health care legislation proposed by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
This is the one and only open hearing scheduled on the Graham-Cassidy bill, an unusual process that opponents of the bill, like Sen. John McCain, have objected to.
"Fifteen demonstrators were arrested and charged with disruption of Congress," Malecki said, adding, "143 individuals were arrested after refusing to cease and desist with their unlawful demonstration activities in the hallway. Twenty-three individuals were charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding and resisting arrest."
People from all over the country and all of walks of life lined up as early as 5 a.m. ET, to urge lawmakers to oppose the latest Republican health care bill, known as the Graham-Cassidy bill.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Capitol Police remove a protester in a wheel chair from a Senate Finance Committee hearing about the proposed Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, Sept. 25, 2017, in Washington... see video...
The chambers of Finance Committee is set to consider health care legislation proposed by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
This is the one and only open hearing scheduled on the Graham-Cassidy bill, an unusual process that opponents of the bill, like Sen. John McCain, have objected to.
The Congressional Budget Office says the new Republican bill aimed at repealing President Barack Obama's health care overhaul would reduce health insurance coverage for "millions" of people.
The nonpartisan analysts say people would lose coverage in part because of $1 trillion in cuts through 2026 in Medicaid. That's the health insurance program for the poor and disabled.
Others would drop policies because the bill would halt federal subsidies Obama's law gives them. Still others would be uninsured because the measure drops the law's tax penalty on people who don't buy coverage.
The GOP bill has been losing Republican support and seems unlikely to survive.
The budget office says it will take weeks to produce a more precise estimate of the bill's impact.
The nonpartisan analysts say people would lose coverage in part because of $1 trillion in cuts through 2026 in Medicaid. That's the health insurance program for the poor and disabled.
Others would drop policies because the bill would halt federal subsidies Obama's law gives them. Still others would be uninsured because the measure drops the law's tax penalty on people who don't buy coverage.
The GOP bill has been losing Republican support and seems unlikely to survive.
The budget office says it will take weeks to produce a more precise estimate of the bill's impact.
As soon as the last protester was removed, Hatch sat back down and gaveled the hearing back in. “Let’s have some order,” he said, as the chants continued to drift in from the hallway outside, where arrests continued. “If you can’t be in order, get the heck out of here.”
The U.S. Capitol Police announced later on Monday that they had arrested 181 protesters in total—15 in the hearing room were charged with “disruption of Congress” and more than 100 others were charged with blocking the hallway and resisting arrest.
“Several of the demonstrators, as part of their protest activities, removed themselves from their mobility devices and lay themselves on the floor, which resulted in USCP officers having to reunite demonstrators with their mobility devices,” said the Capitol Police.
Before the hearing began, one of the ADAPT demonstrators told TPM that he had traveled all the way from Kansas to show his dissent to the bill the Senate may vote on this week, particularly its cuts to traditional Medicaid.
“Medicaid pays for the home care services that people with disabilities need,” Mike Oxford said. “The money will shrink. Those block grants are going to go away. States will not replace that money. States have proven that they’re not as good at protecting, planning, and overseeing these programs. The states have been in charge and they suck at it. That’s why we want federal protections. That’s why I’m here.”
The U.S. Capitol Police announced later on Monday that they had arrested 181 protesters in total—15 in the hearing room were charged with “disruption of Congress” and more than 100 others were charged with blocking the hallway and resisting arrest.
“Several of the demonstrators, as part of their protest activities, removed themselves from their mobility devices and lay themselves on the floor, which resulted in USCP officers having to reunite demonstrators with their mobility devices,” said the Capitol Police.
Before the hearing began, one of the ADAPT demonstrators told TPM that he had traveled all the way from Kansas to show his dissent to the bill the Senate may vote on this week, particularly its cuts to traditional Medicaid.
“Medicaid pays for the home care services that people with disabilities need,” Mike Oxford said. “The money will shrink. Those block grants are going to go away. States will not replace that money. States have proven that they’re not as good at protecting, planning, and overseeing these programs. The states have been in charge and they suck at it. That’s why we want federal protections. That’s why I’m here.”
Protesters Storm Graham-Cassidy Health Care Hearing: ‘Kill the Bill, Don’t Kill Us’ ... see video...
With hours to go before a Monday Senate hearing on Republicans’ Graham-Cassidy health care bill, hundreds of protesters affiliated with a wide range of activist groups lined up in the halls of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to show the GOP they will not stand for a proposal that may kick millions off their health insurance.
At press time, the line of protesters forming outside the room where deliberations are scheduled to take place stretched across two separate Senate buildings.
Protest organizers told Mic that at least 200 protesters — 80 of whom were using wheelchairs — showed up in the early hours of the morning to admonish Senate Republicans for their fifth attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act with a bill that one estimate warned may kick more Americans off their health insurance than the so-called “skinny repeal,” which the Congressional Budget Office said would lead to 32 million people losing their insurance.
At press time, the line of protesters forming outside the room where deliberations are scheduled to take place stretched across two separate Senate buildings.
Protest organizers told Mic that at least 200 protesters — 80 of whom were using wheelchairs — showed up in the early hours of the morning to admonish Senate Republicans for their fifth attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act with a bill that one estimate warned may kick more Americans off their health insurance than the so-called “skinny repeal,” which the Congressional Budget Office said would lead to 32 million people losing their insurance.
"The government wants to kill me," this protester said as she was removed from the protest area
as a society, we need to learn how to 'rethink' certain concepts...
Disturbing images came out of protests at Monday’s Senate Finance Committee hearing on the Graham-Cassidy bill—a health-care reform measure that would dismantle the Affordable Care Act—as police officers made arrests, dragging some protesters from their wheelchairs. It was a hastily scheduled attempt to stick to legislative protocol, as Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy continue to try to rush the bill to a vote. (A September 30 deadline ensures that they could pass it with only a 51-vote majority.) Some disability activists, many of them members of the ADAPT group, had woken up as early as 2:30 a.m. in order to be in the hallway of the Dirksen Senate Office Building before the hearing began. One choice soundbite from today’s proceedings: Senator Orrin Hatch was caught telling the assembled citizenry that “if they wanted a hearing” they should “shut up.”
It did not escape notice in the room or on social media that there were significantly more police officers on hand to quiet and remove the chanting protesters than were present at the scheduled right-wing neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, where activist Heather Heyer was mowed down by car. The scene came a day after Donald Trump sent a barrage of tweets telling NFL coaches to fire any players that take a knee during the national anthem in silent protest of police brutality. Which is to say that there is a pattern here, a longstanding pattern, of what kinds of organizations and actors get their speech protected by the state (corporations, politicians) and those who are derided and menaced (peaceful protestors, the differently abled, people of color, and consumers) in insisting on their First Amendment rights.
It did not escape notice in the room or on social media that there were significantly more police officers on hand to quiet and remove the chanting protesters than were present at the scheduled right-wing neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, where activist Heather Heyer was mowed down by car. The scene came a day after Donald Trump sent a barrage of tweets telling NFL coaches to fire any players that take a knee during the national anthem in silent protest of police brutality. Which is to say that there is a pattern here, a longstanding pattern, of what kinds of organizations and actors get their speech protected by the state (corporations, politicians) and those who are derided and menaced (peaceful protestors, the differently abled, people of color, and consumers) in insisting on their First Amendment rights.
Protesters Lonnie Smith, left, and Dawn Russell are wheeled out from Republican Sen. Cory Gardner’s office after they were getting arrested in downtown Denver, Colo
Ten people were arrested Thursday night after staging a two-day sit-in at the Denver office of Republican Sen. Cory Gardner over the health care bill.
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