Rep. Judy Chu was among the nearly 200 pro-choice protesters arrested Thursday for blocking a busy intersection near the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court.
The California Democrat could be seen in video complying with Capitol Police as they arrested her and other women for protesting against the Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down the constitutional protections to receive an abortion under Roe v. Wade.
“I’m not backing down — not now, not ever,” Ms. Chu said in a series of tweets. “It was an honor to be arrested alongside these young women who are fighting tirelessly to protect our right to abortion. It’s going to take all of us, but we will prevail! #FightBackForFreedom.”
A member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Ms. Chu has served in the House since 2009.
The Capitol Police said they arrested a total of 181 people for “crowding, obstructing or incommoding.” The protesters blocked the intersection of Constitution Avenue NE and First Street NE near the Capitol and Supreme Court.
Protesters continue to demonstrate outside the Supreme Court following the landmark ruling last week, which has already resulted in several Republican-led states enacting trigger laws severely restricting access to abortion or banning the procedure altogether with few exceptions.
Efforts to restrict abortion in the wake of the high court striking down Roe v. Wade vary state by state. Democrats in Congress lack the ability to codify abortion access into law due to their razor-thin majority in the evenly split 50-50 Senate and their inability to overcome a GOP filibuster.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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