- The Washington Times - Friday, October 16, 2020

The United States Capitol Police arrested 29 people during the past four days of confirmation hearings for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.

On Monday, the first day of the nominee’s hearing, one person was arrested for unlawful conduct while 21 others were arrested for crowding, incommoding or obstruction.

On Thursday, more unlawful demonstrations on Constitution Avenue, which runs through Capitol Hill, resulted in 26 people arrested and charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding. Another individual was also charged with resisting arrest.

The Capitol building and hearing room were closed to the public during the four days of hearings, but demonstrators still gathered outside the Hart Senate Office Building, where the senators were meeting.

The 29 arrests in a four-day period fall far behind the chaotic hearings for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh in 2018.

He was accused of sexual misconduct dating back three decades, though no evidence was ever provided to support the allegations. Mr. Kavanaugh vehemently denied any wrongdoing and was ultimately confirmed to the high court after emotional testimony.

Prior to hearing from the nominee and his accuser, though, Justice Kavanaugh’s weeklong confirmation battle — which was similar to the schedule for Judge Barrett’s hearings — saw 227 protesters arrested, according to an NPR report from September 2018. Those charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing or crowding had to pay fines between $35 to $50.

Additionally, on the eve of his confirmation vote in October, more than 300 people were arrested, the Guardian reported at the time.

• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.

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