Georgia Democrat Rep. Hank Johnson and nine others were arrested for blocking the Hart Building. I’m surprised at Johnson. I figured he was too busy trying to figure out how to keep Guam from capsizing to do anything else. But there he was p0rotesting the fact that Democrats have not killed the filibuster or passed the “Democrats Can Cheat Forever Election Bill.”
Johnson said:
“In the spirit of my dear friend and mentor – the late Congressman John Lewis – I was getting in #goodtrouble.”
.@BlackCaucus I was arrested today protesting against Senate inaction on voting rights legislation & filibuster reform. In the spirit of my dear friend and mentor – the late Congressman John Lewis – I was getting in #goodtrouble pic.twitter.com/JjN51mRpaC
— Rep. Hank Johnson (@RepHankJohnson) July 22, 2021
Johnson and his fellow protesters were chanting, “Whose street? Our street. Whose house? Our house.”
Johnson gave a speech in front of the Supreme Court, where he was joined by other members of the Congressional Black Caucus including Democratic Reps. Jamaal Bowman of New York, Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, Troy Carter of Louisiana, Jackson Lee of Texas, and Al Green of Texas. They then marched over to the Senate Office Building where Johnson was arrested.
The group of protestors then marched over to the Senate office building to protest in front of the entrance while chanting, “This is what democracy looks like.”
Capitol Police told Fox News they arrested 10 individuals for “unlawfully demonstrating outside of the Hart Senate Office Building.”
Johnson’s office said the congressman was arrested with a “group of Black male voting rights activists protesting against Senate inaction on voting rights legislation and filibuster reform.
“It was also in response to voter suppression bills and laws throughout the county, including Georgia, that target students, the elderly, and people of color,” his office told Fox News.
All individuals were charged with “Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding.”
Johnson is the second Democratic Representative to be arrested by the Capitol Police this month. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, was arrested on Jul 15 as she protested also at the Hart Building. Beatty claimed she was protesting voter suppression laws passed by the swing states. She obviously gave no proof of voter suppression. In fact, when Georgia passed their voter id law the first time, the number of minorities voting set an all time record.
Beatty said:
“I stand in solidarity with Black women and allies across the country in defense of our constitutional right to vote. We have come too far and fought too hard to see everything systematically dismantled and restricted by those who wish to silence us.”