Watson Coleman arrested during abortion protest outside Supreme Court

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) was arrested this afternoon for blocking traffic outside the U.S. Supreme Court during a protest for abortion rights, according to a tweet posted by her staff.

“Rep Watson Coleman was just arrested outside the Supreme Court with several of her colleagues while marching to protect abortion access,” the congresswoman’s staff said on Twitter. “Will share more information soon.”

According to the Capitol Police, Watson Coleman was one of 16 congresspeople who were arrested by Capitol Police. Axios listed that number as 17, all of them Democrats.

“Demonstrators are starting to block First Street, NE,” the Capitol Police tweeted at 1:18 p.m. “It is against the law to block traffic, so officers are going to give our standard three warnings before they start making arrests.”

“We have already given our standard three warnings,” they added at 1:20 p.m. “Some of the demonstrators are refusing to get out of the street, so we are starting to make arrests.”

The protest was primarily aimed at the members of the Supreme Court who voted last month to overturn Roe v. Wade, thus revoking the constitutional right to abortion. Since that decision was released, Democrats in New Jersey and around the nation have called for reforming the court and protecting abortion via legislative action.

“Our country has never really made big changes, [or] expanded rights, based on some senators and representatives having a lovely conversation in the Capitol,” Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI), one of those arrested at the protest, told Axios. “It happens because of social movements. It happens because people march, people protest, people organize, people get arrested.”

Speaking from the area she was being detained, Watson Coleman addressed her reason for participating in today’s protest.

“What’s the purpose of you being out here?  I’m so scared.  I’m so scared for the young people in my family, the young women and my family.  I’m so scared that with the Supreme Court has done here, it’s just an opening, an illustration of how they’re going to proceed to take all of our rights away.  Very fundamental rights. I’m so angry that they’re invading our privacy. And I am so angry that there’s such an ignorance about a woman’s autonomy over her body and the fact that abortion in particular is a part of health care,” Watson Coleman said.  “And so I’m out here because I had the opportunity to be here. And once I knew that this was happening, there was no way I wasn’t going to be a part of this do.

Watson Coleman’s Republican opponent, Darius Mayfield, said today’s protest wasn’t an effective use of her time.

“If only Bonnie fought this hard for her constituents impacted by the persistent flooding in District 12, especially those displaced in Manville and Bound Brook,” Mayfield said.  “Some residents there are still in hotels since the last flood and she’s yet to obtain the funds necessary to fix the issue destroying their properties. Securing funds to permanently fix the destructive flooding issue is a priority of mine.”