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Politics & Elections

Dozens Arrested as Survivors Flood Capitol Hill to Oppose Kavanaugh

Additional actions are planned for Thursday, when Ford is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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US Capitol Police prepare to arrest demonstrators as they protest against the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be a Supreme Court Justice outside of the office of US Sen. Susan Collins on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, September 24, 2018.

Ahead of a 1 pm national walkout on Monday to support Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez — who have accused US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault — and demand that lawmakers oppose him, hundreds of critics flooded Capitol Hill to target specific senators such as Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), whose responses to the women’s claims have outraged advocates for survivors of sexual violence.

Dozens of demonstrators were arrested Monday morning outside Collins’ office in Washington, DC.

Those who weren’t arrested then moved to the office of Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). Survivors who participated in the Capitol Hill protests shared their stories.

“The stories we’re hearing from survivors are chilling. They’re all too devastating and all too common,” Women’s March tweeted. “They’re why we’re here today. They’re why we’ll be back Thursday.”

From Flake’s office, they moved to the office of Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.). His staff, according to Women’s March, refused to come out to meet with the hundreds of demonstrators, so some participants began making their way into the office.

Other protests planned for lawmakers’ offices throughout the country on Monday include actions at Collins’ Portland office; Flake’s Tucson office; the Des Moines office of Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa); the Austin and Dallas offices of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas); the Denver office of Sen. Cory Gardner; and the Reno office of Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.).

Additional actions are planned for Thursday, when Ford is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Women’s March is tracking the scheduled events with an interactive map.

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