Far-left Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) were mocked Tuesday afternoon for appearing to pretend that they were handcuffed after they were arrested for blocking traffic by the U.S. Supreme Court during a pro-abortion protest.
“We made a total of 35 arrests for Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding (DC Code § 22–1307),” the U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement posted to Twitter. “That arrest number includes 17 Members of Congress.”
The other lawmakers that were arrested included Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rep. Madeline Dean (D-PA), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), Assistant Speaker of the House Katherine Clark (D-MA), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI), Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).
The aspect of the arrests that received the most attention was how Ocasio-Cortez and Omar seemingly pretended that they were handcuffed as they were escorted out of the area.
WATCH:
.@AOC, we can all see you’re not really in cuffs, dummy. pic.twitter.com/5ULyyc09Qm
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) July 19, 2022
Check out the last split second of this clip of Omar after pretending she has handcuffs on.pic.twitter.com/szISvUmY5C
— Cameron Cawthorne (@Cam_Cawthorne) July 19, 2022
Notable responses to the videos included:
- Bret Baier, Fox News: “Just noting – they weren’t handcuffed – just decided to hold their hands like that.”
- Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia: “Gee, as a lawmaker and representative of law in this country, I would have expected you to understand that you are entirely free to protest in support of abortion rights—as long as you aren’t blocking traffic while doing so. But go ahead, be proud of your childish arrest.”
- Brit Hume, Fox News: “Note the handcuff pose, abandoned only to raise her fist in the air. The queen of gestures.”
- Harry Khachatrian, Washington Examiner: “AOC, while being calmly escorted by an officer, holding her hands behind her back pretending she is handcuffed is the most @AOC thing ever.”
- John Cardillo, political commentator: “They just want to date her.”
- Caleb Hull, digital strategist: “The funniest part about this video of AOC being escorted out by Capitol Police is her pretending to be in handcuffs. She is a professional victim.”
- Julie Gunlock, Director of Independent Women’s Network: “AOC pretending like she is in cuffs is all you need to know about this fraud. Her image is what matters, not the people she was elected to serve.”
- Tom Elliott, founder of Grabien: “Politicians are ultimately all just failed actors.”
- Josh Jordan, statistician: “Compare the video of AOC and Omar above showing they were clearly not handcuffed with the photos going viral on social media if you’re wondering why they pretended to be in handcuffs. And that’s why I’m cynical of just about everything these days… it’s all a show.”