Ben Cohen, a co-founder of the well-known ice cream model, Ben & Jerry’s, was forcibly faraway from a Senate listening to for disrupting Robert F. Kennedy Jr‘s testimony whereas protesting the US’s assist for Israel.
Because the Well being and Human Companies Secretary started to reply a query, the Senate flooring erupted in chaos, and Cohen could possibly be heard screaming.
‘Congress despatched the bombs that kill kids in Gaza and pays it with cuts to Medicaid,’ he shouted.
Different protestors could possibly be heard screaming that RFK kills folks and holding up indicators that have been rapidly ripped away by Capitol Police.
One of many indicators learn, ‘RFK kills folks with AIDS worldwide. RFK lies, folks with AIDS Die.’
The indicators have been in reference to feedback RFK made questioning the medically indisputable fact that the HIV virus causes AIDS.
Police arrested a number of different protestors in the course of the listening to and aggressively escorted them out.
In the course of the commotion, Senator Invoice Cassidy, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Labor, paused the listening to and continued to encourage police to take away the protestors.
‘Fingers off Medicaid! Congress kills,’ Cohen stated as he was escorted out of the room.
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen was arrested and escorted out of a Senate listening to for disrupting the questioning
Earlier than he was escorted, Cohen screamed, ‘Congress despatched the bombs that kill kids in Gaza and pays for it with cuts to Medicaid’
Cohen was pictured getting escorted out of the listening to by Capitol Police, and later doubled down on his claims
Video footage posted on social media from exterior the listening to room revealed Cohen handcuffed as police escorted him down a hallway.
One particular person recording the interplay requested Cohen why he was getting arrested, and he responded, ‘Congress kills poor youngsters in Gaza by shopping for bombs and pays for it by… kicking poor youngsters off Medicaid within the US.’
He then known as on Congress to ‘let meals into Gaza’ and ‘let meals to ravenous youngsters!’
Cohen then shared a clip of the surprising interplay on his official X account and doubled down on his claims.
‘I informed Congress they’re killing poor youngsters in Gaza by shopping for bombs, and so they’re paying for it by kicking poor youngsters off Medicaid within the US,’ he wrote.
‘This was the authorities’ response,’ he added, referring to the video.
The Ben & Jerry’s co-founder additionally appeared at a rally earlier within the day to advocate for Palestinian rights alongside Democratic Consultant Rashida Tlaib.
A number of protestors have been pulled out of the listening to by police. They’d indicators that learn, ‘RFK kills folks with AIDS worldwide. RFK lies, folks with AIDS Die’
In the course of the occasion, Cohen informed demonstrators, ‘We’re anticipated to be good Individuals and look the opposite manner as Israel prevents meals, water, and medication from reaching the remaining folks of Gaza.’
He went on to accuse Israel’s authorities of ‘ravenous’ Palestinians to loss of life and vowed to proceed advocating for the US to finish complicity.
Tlaib spoke after Cohen and informed him she purposefully buys Ben & Jerry’s to assist his firm regardless that she’s lactose illiberal.
Cohen has regularly demonstrated for progressive causes, and his firm is understood for activism.
He has been a vocal critic of the US’s assist for Israel, and Ben & Jerry’s ended gross sales to the nation in 2021 out of protest for Israel’s occupation of Gaza.
The heightened protests come as a Republican spending invoice proposed cuts to Medicaid and continued monetary assist for Israel.
Republicans superior the tax invoice on Wednesday, which incorporates cuts to Medicaid by a whole lot of billions of {dollars}, in line with Politico.
The demonstrations disrupted a Senate listening to on the Well being and Human Companies Division’s price range. Secretary RFK Jr was questioned on his vaccine feedback
Cohen has regularly demonstrated for progressive causes and was arrested exterior the Division of Justice on July 6, 2023, for protesting in assist of WikiLeaks writer Julian Assange (pictured)
The US Division of State introduced in April that the US would proceed safety cooperation with Israel, noting that the 2 international locations have 751 energetic International Army Gross sales valued at $39.2 billion.
Whereas Cohen was in Washington DC protesting the US’s assist for Israel, HHS Secretary RFK Jr. was questioned by Congress over his document in Trump’s cupboard.
Democratic Senator Christopher Murphy slammed RFK for undermining the measles vaccine.
RFK was additionally requested concerning the cuts to staffing at his division, doubling down that the selections have been below his discretion and never Elon Musk.
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