The United States Capitol Police arrested six House staffers on Monday who were protesting in Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office.
Law enforcement responded to the protest that took place in room 322 in the Hart Senate Office Building around 11:15 am, the Capitol Police told The Daily Wire.
“Six demonstrators were arrested for DC Code §22-3302 Unlawful Entry for failing to leave the office after they were told to leave,” police said. “The six people who were arrested are all House staffers.”
The individuals arrested were Saul Levin, Aria Kovalovich, Rajiv Sicora, Courtney Koelhel, Phillip Bennett, and Emma Preston, according to the police.
BREAKING: Congressional staff are staging a peaceful sit-in in @SenSchumer’s office to protest our leaders’ failure and inaction on climate policy and urge them to use every last negotiating tool to meet this moment.
The time to act is NOW. Staffers, come through. 🖤🔥 pic.twitter.com/JHtAYDez4n
— Aria Kovalovich (@ariakov) July 25, 2022
Levin, the son of Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI) and policy advisor for Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), posted a picture of himself and another staffer on social media on Monday with the caption: “Right now, we Hill staffers are peacefully protesting Dem leaders INSIDE.”
“To my knowledge, this has never been done,” he continued. “We’ve also never seen climate catastrophe, so we’re meeting the moment. Follow along as we fight with everything we have to jumpstart climate negotiations.”
Right now, we Hill staffers are peacefully protesting Dem leaders INSIDE. To my knowledge, this has never been done.
We’ve also never seen climate catastrophe, so we’re meeting the moment. Follow along as we fight with everything we have to jumpstart climate negotiations. pic.twitter.com/PwuWVFQoED
— Saul (@saaaauuull) July 25, 2022
“BREAKING,” he tweeted about 15 minutes previously. “We, staffers of the US Congress, are peacefully sitting in on Senator Schumer’s office to demand Dems pass climate justice policy this year. We are putting our bodies on the line because we have no other choice. Follow along for updates from inside!”
BREAKING: we, staffers of the US Congress, are peacefully sitting in on Senator Schumer’s office to demand Dems pass climate justice policy this year.
We are putting our bodies on the line because we have no other choice. Follow along for updates from inside!
— Saul (@saaaauuull) July 25, 2022
In a video apparently taken after his arrest, the younger Levin told NBC News that he was protesting for Schumer to “reopen the negotiations on climate reconciliation package and to actually pass climate legislation.”
Asked why he was protesting at Schumer’s office rather than at the office of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Levin responded, “Because there’s always going to be a sheep that strays away from the herd,” adding that it is “the job of leadership to get the party together.”
USCP arrested six House staffers this afternoon for protesting inside @SenSchumer’s office demanding the majority leader restart negotiations to pass climate legislation.
“He’s giving up, but some of us are going to live through the climate crisis,” @saaaauuull told @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/YDHc0N1FFD
— Julia Jester (@JulesJester) July 25, 2022
Schumer has previously said that he condones peaceful protesting, saying of the demonstrations outside the Supreme Court justices’ homes: “That’s the American way to peacefully protest … so as long as they are peaceful, that’s okay with me.”
Schumer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire.
