Protesters of debt deal detained at Capitol

Up to 20 people protesting against House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) debt deal were detained Monday at the Capitol. 

The protesters, including members of the National People’s Action (NPA) group, disrupted debate on the House floor from the gallery and were handcuffed by Capitol Police and escorted off the premises. The suspects chanted, “Hey Boehner, get a clue, it’s about revenue,” as they were led away.

One male suspect was pinned to the ground by officers during the incident, yelling loudly that he was not associated with the group or the protest.

“It looks like about 20 were arrested,” Amanda Devecka-Rinear, NPA’s campaign director, told The Hill.

Capitol Police have yet to comment on the exact number of protesters taken into custody, or what charges — if any — will be brought against them.

Those detained, including members of NPA, VOCAL New York and Community Voices Heard, expressed outrage over a debt-ceiling deal reliant on spending cuts, including potential cuts to Medicare.

“What they were protesting is this, what we’re calling a ‘raw deal’ here, the debt-ceiling deal that does absolutely nothing to raise revenue and really asks elderly people, working families, people who have health care needs to make all these sacrifices, whereas letting Wall Street and the super rich off the hook,” said Devecka-Rinear.

Monday’s protest is the first in a series of actions planned by NPA around the country, targeting lawmakers during the August recess, according to a press release sent out after the incident.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that the GOP and all politicians here in D.C. understand what’s at risk — our lives, our families, our communities, our values, our future and the prosperity of America,” wrote Agnes Rivera of Community Voices Heard, reportedly one of the suspects detained by Capitol Police.

—This story was posted at 3:52 p.m. and has been updated.

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