Jane Fonda arrested on steps of US Capitol in civil disobedience climate change protest
Jane Fonda was arrested at the U.S. Capitol Friday while peacefully protesting climate change. The actor and activist was handcuffed on the east side steps and escorted into a police vehicle. Video of the arrest circulated online. Fonda was one of 16 people arrested for unlawfully protesting and was charged with "crowding, obstructing or incommoding."
She was released hours later. On Thursday, the actor vowed to join Friday protests at the Capitol "inspired and emboldened by the incredible movement our youth have created." Ira Arlook, of the group Fire Drill Fridays, confirmed Fonda was arrested at the inaugural demonstration Friday.
Before her arrest, the two-time Academy Award and seven-time Golden Globe winner, in a speech, called climate change "a collective crisis that demands collective action now." Recently, in an interview with The Washington Post, the actor revealed she moved to DC to actively take steps against climate change.
She said, "I’m going to take my body, which is kind of famous and popular right now because of the [television] series and I’m going to go to D.C. and I’m going to have a rally every Friday," and added, "It’ll be called ‘Fire Drill Friday.’ And we’re going to engage in civil disobedience and we’re going to get arrested every Friday.”
According to a report in People, the United States Capitol Police Communications Director Eva Malecki was quoted as saying, "Today, the United States Capitol Police arrested 16 individuals for unlawfully demonstrating on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol."