Police arrest protesters rallying near Supreme Court
WASHINGTON – Police arrested 59 people Thursday after protesters blocked a street to make a statement against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
The arrests in the nation’s capital not far from the steps of the high court came as thousands rallied across the nation in solidarity with the university professor whose accusations against Kavanaugh, a federal judge, fueled outrage on both sides of the controversy.
Foes of Kavanaugh wanted to “make sure our voices are heard and our concerns are raised,” Women’s March cofounder Tamika Mallory told USA TODAY. “And to make sure senators understand that while they may still vote to confirm him, we will not forget when it comes to the midterms and beyond.”
Survivors of sexual assault and their supporters gathered in Washington and in locations across the nation, including state offices of U.S. senators, to share testimonies of assault. At 12:30 p.m. local time, protesters nationwide held a moment of silence for survivors.
In Washington, a crowd of protesters instantly grew quiet and raised fists and palms in the air, some bearing the phrase “Believe Women” or “I Believe.” They began a solemn march to the Capitol Reflecting Pool with survivors and women at the front. More than 1,000 demonstrators, undeterred by rain, repeatedly chanted, “We believe Christine Ford; we believe Anita Hill.”
The protesters then marched to the Supreme Court, chanting, “No means no. Kavanaugh has got to go.” Dozens blocked streets near the court, hoping to be arrested.
Many Ford supporters had black tape across their mouths that read, “Believe women.”
“We can’t have someone who is accused of sexual violence nominated and voted into the highest court,” Tali Israeli said. “We can’t have a bunch of white men deciding whether a woman was sexually assaulted.”
If Kavanaugh is confirmed, she said, women like her will only double down.
“It’s an unfortunate step back,” she said. “I just think we need to fight harder.”
Jen Jinks was also protesting Kavanaugh – and what she said was the broader issue of discrediting women who tell survivor stories.
“There’s a national epidemic of disbelieving women, of women’s words not being enough,” she said. “This is just one more look into that.”
Protests were not limited to Washington or other big cities. In Montpelier, Vermont, pop. 7,500, about 40 people gathered outside City Hall as passing motorists honked their support.
Ford, 51, said that in 1982, when she was 15, she was at a party where Kavanaugh, then 17, forced her down on a bed and tried to remove her clothes while holding his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming. She said she feared Kavanaugh might accidentally kill her before she escaped. Kavanaugh denied the accusations.
Mallory stressed that her group opposed Kavanaugh before allegations by Ford and other women became public.
“We didn’t just start with the sexual assault stories,” she said. “We knew, based on his voting record for a number of issues, that he was problematic. And so now that these particular stories are public, it has only really proven what we already knew and why we were there from the beginning.
“This is not an upstanding citizen, not someone who is trustworthy, not someone who respects women,” Mallory said.
Concerns about the Kavanaugh nomination are not lodged solely by women. The social media campaign #AssaultFreeSCOTUS asked men to record a short video explaining why they stand for Ford and post it on social media.
Mallory said the allegations by Ford inspired women to speak out and discuss their survivor stories.
Kavanaugh supporters also want to be heard. Hundreds gathered early Thursday morning in Lower Senate Park to rally in favor of the nominee.
“I’m concerned that the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh are not substantiated, and there seems to be a strong political motive,” said Ardi Skinner, an area resident who attended the rally. “It demeans the process of helping women who have been assaulted.”