Supreme Court Session Disrupted By 'Citizens United' Protest
From the National Law Journal
Protesters disrupted Wednesday morning's U.S. Supreme Court session, rising one after another to shout criticism of the court's Citizens United campaign finance decision on the occasion of its fifth anniversary.
"I rise on behalf of democracy," one demonstrator shouted. "Money is not speech," said another.
Soon after the event, the group 99Rise took credit, urging its followers online to "stand with the Supreme Court 7." Last February Kai Newkirk, a leader of 99Rise, which opposes the domination of big money in politics, was arrested for a similar outburst. He was cited under a federal law that prohibits "harangues" inside the court building.
99Rise claims its members are currently in police custody following Wednesday's episode.
A Supreme Court spokeswoman said Wednesday afternoon that eight individuals were involved in the incident and were removed from the court. Seven people were charged under 40 U.S.C. 6134, which bars making "a harangue or oration" in the court building.
The seven arrestees, along with one other person, were also charged with conspiracy-related offenses under D.C. law. They were taken to the Capitol Police for processing and then transported to Metropolitan Police Department headquarters.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the National Law Journal
Protesters disrupted Wednesday morning's U.S. Supreme Court session, rising one after another to shout criticism of the court's Citizens United campaign finance decision on the occasion of its fifth anniversary.
"I rise on behalf of democracy," one demonstrator shouted. "Money is not speech," said another.
Soon after the event, the group 99Rise took credit, urging its followers online to "stand with the Supreme Court 7." Last February Kai Newkirk, a leader of 99Rise, which opposes the domination of big money in politics, was arrested for a similar outburst. He was cited under a federal law that prohibits "harangues" inside the court building.
99Rise claims its members are currently in police custody following Wednesday's episode.
A Supreme Court spokeswoman said Wednesday afternoon that eight individuals were involved in the incident and were removed from the court. Seven people were charged under 40 U.S.C. 6134, which bars making "a harangue or oration" in the court building.
The seven arrestees, along with one other person, were also charged with conspiracy-related offenses under D.C. law. They were taken to the Capitol Police for processing and then transported to Metropolitan Police Department headquarters.
Read more in our daily News Update...