U.S. Capitol Police detained a group of peaceful protesters on Wednesday, including several people in wheelchairs, during a protest over proposed cuts to Medicaid spending.
Scripps News footage shows a crowd of people, some of them in wheelchairs, being zip-tied and escorted out of the Russell Senate Rotunda. The room is part of a Senate office building on Capitol Hill.
Protesters shouted slogans, among them "No cuts to Medicaid."
During the protests, demonstrators held banners reading “Senate Republicans Don't Kill Us, Save Medicaid,” and “60 Million Off Medicaid.” Video showed Capitol Police confiscating at least two of the banners, one of which was briefly unfurled in a staircase in the building.
Many of the protesters were in black shirts with slogans, including one that read "HEALTHCARE CUTS WILL KILL." The shirts also bore the logo of grassroots group Popular Democracy in Action.
That group organized the demonstration, along with allied organizations including the Service Employees International Union and Planned Parenthood for America.
"Every elected official and every voter should be disturbed by the choice to rip away life-saving programs and policies from working families to fund another American war in the Middle East," read a statement from Analilia Mejia and DaMareo Cooper, co-executive directors of Popular Democracy in Action. "We are urging our Senators to put working families first, and stop cuts to essential programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and Social Security."
Scripps News has reached out to Popular Democracy in Action for additional comment.
U.S. Capitol Police told Scripps News 34 people were arrested during the demonstrations, including one person who was arrested outside the building.
"The group was arrested for 22-1307 - Crowding, Obstructing, and Incommoding. Another person was arrested for crossing a police line outside where we are processing the arrests," the agency's statement read in part.
RELATED STORY | A measure allowing the sale of public lands in the 'Big Beautiful Bill' is found to violate Senate rules
The protests are over proposed Medicaid cuts included in the "Big Beautiful Bill," which would remove coverage for some 10 million of the poorest Americans over the next decade as well as implement additional work requirements for those using Medicaid.
President Donald Trump continues to pressure lawmakers to pass the full budget bill no later than July 4. The first votes on the bill could come as early as Thursday or Friday of this week.
