Beatty discusses “disparities in treatment” when arrested on Capitol Hill

President of the Congressional Black Caucus Joyce BeattyJoyce Birdson Beatty Black Caucus Chairperson Arrested on Capitol Hill in Voting Rights Protest Supreme Court Slashes Black Caucus Voting Rights Efforts Black Caucus Urges Democratic Leaders to Accelerate Rights Measures vote (D-Ohio) discussed “disparities in treatment” during his arrest on Capitol Hill Thursday.

Beatty was arrested on charges of “illegal protest activity” after leading a group of voting rights protesters into the Hart Senate office building.

In an interview on SiriusXM City View “The Joe Madison Show,” Beatty said, “question # 1” about her arrest was that it was illegal to protest where she was.

“Here’s what question # 1 was about the arrest: there is a rule in the Senate and in the Capitol buildings, I guess – but specifically where we were – it was illegal to do what we have. done after being warned to leave, ”Beatty said.

The MP then said it was “ironic” how quickly she was arrested for breaking the rule, compared to “thousands of thousands” who “were not demonstrating peacefully”, apparently referring to the pro-Trump rioters who violently stormed the Capitol on January 6.

“A little ironic, isn’t it?” The fact that we were quickly arrested for breaking the rule was illegal to protest as we did after being warned to stop. So again here we are with treatment disparities with less than 100 people, then thousands of thousands of people not protesting peacefully, ”Beatty continued.

Beatty’s arrest comes as Democrats attempt to filibuster voting rights legislation in the Senate.

Democrats and suffrage advocates argue that the For the People Act and John lewisJohn LewisKings Launches Voting Rights Effort in Honor of John Lewis Beatty Discusses ‘Treatment Gaps’ in Capitol Hill Arrest Black Caucus Chairman Arrested on Capitol Hill During Voting Rights Protest MORE The Voting Rights Act will help counter a trend of passing laws in GOP-led states that tighten voting rules, sparking a new urgency to get rid of filibuster.

“We’re in a critical phase right now because we haven’t passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. And we thought it was important because the Senate didn’t act on anything, ”Beatty told Madison.

“So we thought it was important for us, one, to demonstrate our power. Second, educate the American people that this is a big deal, especially for us who are the most disenfranchised and who have demonstrated against it, ”she said.