AOC fundraises off of arrest at pro-abortion rights protest

Kate Scanlon

July 19, 09:30 PM July 19, 09:30 PM

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was among lawmakers arrested Tuesday at a pro-abortion rights protest outside the Supreme Court and sent a fundraising email to groups supporting legal abortion about that arrest within hours.

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The U.S. Capitol Police arrested several Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Alma Adams (D-NC), at a protest of a recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned its previous ruling in Roe v. Wade.

Later Tuesday, in an email to supporters, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress wrote, “Alexandria was just arrested by Capitol Police outside the Supreme Court during an abortion rights demonstration. Rush a $3 contribution to abortion access groups right now to show Congress we stand with AOC and #WeWontBackDown.”

The campaign said in the email that the groups would receive 100% of the funds, selecting Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, Protect Kentucky Access, and Michigan Reproductive Freedom for All.

“Alexandria will not rest until Congress does what needs to be done to codify abortion care as a human right in our country,” the email reads. “In the meantime, you can help folks seeking to access [abortion] care right now by splitting a $3 contribution to abortion access groups.”

The email argued that “peaceful civil disobedience is an effective tool.”

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Capitol Police on Tuesday confirmed in a series of tweets that they made 35 arrests, which included 17 members of Congress. They cited violations of laws against crowding, obstructing, and incommoding.

In a video, Ocasio-Cortez can be seen holding her arms behind her back as if she were handcuffed before raising her fist in acknowledgment of other protesters.