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The grassroots group By the People held a sit-in in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building, demanding that Congress draw up articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. (Photo: @By_The_Ppl/Twitter)
While Americans 'Have Been Waiting Two Years For Congress to Do Its Job,' Arrests End Impeach Trump Sit-In Within Two Minutes
"If Congress won't defend the Constitution then we the people will."
May 14, 2019
At least 20 people were arrested in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building on Tuesday as they participated in a sit-in to demand that President Donald Trump be impeached.
Dozens of protesters from across the country came to Washington for the action. The grassroots groups behind the sit-in, By the People, tweeted from the scene that Capitol Police began making arrests just two minutes into the demonstration.
Meanwhile, the group wrote, many Americans "have been waiting over two years for Congress to do its job and impeach."
"It's been two years of Trump's corruption, abuse of power, violation of our Constitution, and attacks on our democracy. It took two minutes to arrest protesters, so why two years for this?" said By the People.
Before the arrests began, the demonstrators displayed a sign reading, "If Congress won't defend the Constitution then we the people will."
"Ain't no power like the power of the people, 'cause the power of the people don't stop!" the group chanted.
"What's it going to take to impeach Trump? It's going to take all of us," said By the People organizer Anthony Torres in a statement. "We, the people, must hit the streets and enter the halls of power in the thousands. Congress will not fulfill their constitutional duty until the constituents they depend on to stay in office force them to put us over party politics."
Forty-five percent of Americans support impeachment proceedings against the president, according to a poll released last week by Reuters/Ipsos--more than the number that backed the move before a Congressional committee passed articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon in 1974.
"Today we take action in D.C. to defend our democracy and our people," Alexandra Flores-Quilty, another organizer with the group, said in a statement. "We are a part of the millions of Americans who support impeachment...[Lawmakers] put party before country, and political calculations over their oaths of office. Today we say no more. Congress, you are on notice--it is time to impeach."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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At least 20 people were arrested in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building on Tuesday as they participated in a sit-in to demand that President Donald Trump be impeached.
Dozens of protesters from across the country came to Washington for the action. The grassroots groups behind the sit-in, By the People, tweeted from the scene that Capitol Police began making arrests just two minutes into the demonstration.
Meanwhile, the group wrote, many Americans "have been waiting over two years for Congress to do its job and impeach."
"It's been two years of Trump's corruption, abuse of power, violation of our Constitution, and attacks on our democracy. It took two minutes to arrest protesters, so why two years for this?" said By the People.
Before the arrests began, the demonstrators displayed a sign reading, "If Congress won't defend the Constitution then we the people will."
"Ain't no power like the power of the people, 'cause the power of the people don't stop!" the group chanted.
"What's it going to take to impeach Trump? It's going to take all of us," said By the People organizer Anthony Torres in a statement. "We, the people, must hit the streets and enter the halls of power in the thousands. Congress will not fulfill their constitutional duty until the constituents they depend on to stay in office force them to put us over party politics."
Forty-five percent of Americans support impeachment proceedings against the president, according to a poll released last week by Reuters/Ipsos--more than the number that backed the move before a Congressional committee passed articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon in 1974.
"Today we take action in D.C. to defend our democracy and our people," Alexandra Flores-Quilty, another organizer with the group, said in a statement. "We are a part of the millions of Americans who support impeachment...[Lawmakers] put party before country, and political calculations over their oaths of office. Today we say no more. Congress, you are on notice--it is time to impeach."
At least 20 people were arrested in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building on Tuesday as they participated in a sit-in to demand that President Donald Trump be impeached.
Dozens of protesters from across the country came to Washington for the action. The grassroots groups behind the sit-in, By the People, tweeted from the scene that Capitol Police began making arrests just two minutes into the demonstration.
Meanwhile, the group wrote, many Americans "have been waiting over two years for Congress to do its job and impeach."
"It's been two years of Trump's corruption, abuse of power, violation of our Constitution, and attacks on our democracy. It took two minutes to arrest protesters, so why two years for this?" said By the People.
Before the arrests began, the demonstrators displayed a sign reading, "If Congress won't defend the Constitution then we the people will."
"Ain't no power like the power of the people, 'cause the power of the people don't stop!" the group chanted.
"What's it going to take to impeach Trump? It's going to take all of us," said By the People organizer Anthony Torres in a statement. "We, the people, must hit the streets and enter the halls of power in the thousands. Congress will not fulfill their constitutional duty until the constituents they depend on to stay in office force them to put us over party politics."
Forty-five percent of Americans support impeachment proceedings against the president, according to a poll released last week by Reuters/Ipsos--more than the number that backed the move before a Congressional committee passed articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon in 1974.
"Today we take action in D.C. to defend our democracy and our people," Alexandra Flores-Quilty, another organizer with the group, said in a statement. "We are a part of the millions of Americans who support impeachment...[Lawmakers] put party before country, and political calculations over their oaths of office. Today we say no more. Congress, you are on notice--it is time to impeach."
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