U.S. Capitol Police arrested several left-wing activists on Capitol Hill Tuesday, who demanded Democratic leaders not buy into Republican demands over the debt ceiling.
Live video showed several protestors being arrested and placed into zip-tie handcuffs.
The activists were members of Center for Popular Democracy, who said they planned to occupy a series of congressional offices, including three moderate Democratic Party representatives.
The protestors demanded the Democratic representatives not go along with Republican efforts to pass spending cuts in exchange for raising the debt ceiling.
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They reportedly marched in with a sign that read, “Our lives are not negotiable.”
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Police reported forced everyone, including reporters, out of the Cannon Rotunda in an effort to get control of the situation.
According to a media advisory, members and affiliates of the Center for Popular Democracy/Action (CPD/A) were expected to gather in Washington, D.C. to demand Congress prevent default without forcing cuts on low-income families.
Activists who claim to be impacted by the cuts directly traveled to the capitol from places like Alaska, Kansas, Florida, Arkansas and West Virginia to have their voices heard.
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The release said activists would enter Congressional offices while carrying visuals and speaking out about how the Republican plan to cut spending in exchange for raising the debt ceiling will affect their lives.
Specifically, the activists planned to visit the offices of Rep. Joseph Morelle, D-N.Y., Abigail Spanberger, D-VA, and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif.
House Republicans have said they will not raise the debt ceiling and increase the amount of money the federal government can borrow unless President Biden agrees to cut spending.
The president met with Republican leaders last week to work on resolving a weeks-long standoff over raising the borrowing limit. Republicans have refused to allow more borrowing unless it is tied to cuts that total roughly $150 billion in discretionary spending, while Democrats say Congress must pass a “clean” debt ceiling raise with no preconditions.