The co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, Ben Cohen, has been arrested after disrupting a Senate hearing in Washington D.C. with a pro-Gaza protest. Alongside six other individuals, Cohen was apprehended during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Wednesday, as reported by Sky News’ US partner, NBC News.
Robert F Kennedy Jr was addressing the committee when the protests commenced, with one person shouting accusations against him regarding AIDS, and others denouncing him as ‘anti-vax’, ‘anti-science’, and ‘anti-America’, reflecting on his views on vaccines.
Security personnel swiftly filled the room and began removing the protesters. Moments later, from the floor, Ben Cohen accused the US government of being complicit in the deaths of children in Gaza, directing his statement at US health officials, “You’re killing poor kids in Gaza and paying for it by cutting Medicaid for kids here.” It was reported that he was among the last individuals to be taken out of the room.
Before his removal, Cohen shouted, “Congress and the senators need to end the siege. They need to let food into Gaza. They need to let food to starving kids.”
Cohen is no stranger to participating in protests and has been known to be arrested during demonstrations. In July 2023, he was arrested in London for protesting the prosecution of Julian Assange by the US.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has seen thousands of Palestinians displaced, with many women and children among the casualties. The actual death toll in Gaza is believed to be higher due to the difficulty medics face in accessing certain areas.
Ben Cohen has voiced opposition to the Israeli actions in Gaza, stating earlier on Wednesday, at a pro-Palestine event with Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib, that the US government is killing impoverished children in Gaza while simultaneously cutting support for poor children in the US.
The other protesters were charged with resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. This recent incident highlights the ongoing political and social unrest surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/ben-jerrys-co-founder-arrested-after-us-capitol-gaza-protest-13368039
